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The Darkness Greeted Her
In this atmospheric sapphic horror, a troubled teen is sent to a remote therapy camp in the Appalachian wilderness, where she must unravel a mystery of deadly occurrences as she battles harmful visions of her abusive father, sinister motives, and a lurking monster.
The Darkness Greeted Her is a perfect Gothic horror, where trauma has a physical form and it's hunting girls. Rich with queer and mental health rep, Ferko's love letter to survivors is beautifully written from start to finish, and I can't recommend it enough! — Jamison Shea, author of Roar of the Lambs
Penny's abusive father is dead…but she still hears his voice in her head, encouraging her to hurt those around her. She can't go to school or be around her friends or even draw with a sharp pencil without her intrusive thoughts urging her toward violence. Desperate to get a handle on her OCD, she agrees to spend the summer at Camp Whitewood—an exclusive therapy retreat in the woods.
She feels optimistic when she arrives. The other girls all have their reasons for being there, which makes Penny feel a little less alone. But then she starts seeing things that can't possibly be there: the gold watch her father was buried with, his favorite whiskey spilled on her cabin floor...a terrifying figure she calls the Shadow Man looming at the foot of her bed. Penny thinks she is losing her mind, but when a girl goes missing, and is later found dead, it's clear that whatever is happening at Camp Whitewood isn't all in her head.
As the hallucinations become increasingly intense and more girls wind up dead, Penny must work with whoever is left standing to figure out what is real before the Shadow Man uses their traumas against them and claims their lives.
The Darkness Greeted Her is a perfect Gothic horror, where trauma has a physical form and it's hunting girls. Rich with queer and mental health rep, Ferko's love letter to survivors is beautifully written from start to finish, and I can't recommend it enough! — Jamison Shea, author of Roar of the Lambs
Penny's abusive father is dead…but she still hears his voice in her head, encouraging her to hurt those around her. She can't go to school or be around her friends or even draw with a sharp pencil without her intrusive thoughts urging her toward violence. Desperate to get a handle on her OCD, she agrees to spend the summer at Camp Whitewood—an exclusive therapy retreat in the woods.
She feels optimistic when she arrives. The other girls all have their reasons for being there, which makes Penny feel a little less alone. But then she starts seeing things that can't possibly be there: the gold watch her father was buried with, his favorite whiskey spilled on her cabin floor...a terrifying figure she calls the Shadow Man looming at the foot of her bed. Penny thinks she is losing her mind, but when a girl goes missing, and is later found dead, it's clear that whatever is happening at Camp Whitewood isn't all in her head.
As the hallucinations become increasingly intense and more girls wind up dead, Penny must work with whoever is left standing to figure out what is real before the Shadow Man uses their traumas against them and claims their lives.
416 pages, Paperback
Published February 3, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
February 3, 2026
With a dark summer camp vibe that included a fantastic supernatural twist, The Darkness Greeted Her was a tense, dread-fueled ride that I couldn’t put down. On top of the atmospheric setting and the monster in the wings, this terrifying psychological horror novel gave a thought-provoking look at mental illness through the lens of an exceptionally well-drawn unreliable narrator. Multilayered and fully fleshed out, Penny was a believably traumatized young woman battling herself thanks to intrusive thoughts and feelings. In fact, she was probably the strongest piece to this debut novel…as well as part of the weakest. You see, in an effort to push the sense that Penny couldn’t trust her own mind, the narration began to feel ambiguous and hard to follow at times. That being said, not knowing what was real and what was a well-crafted hallucination made the entire thing even more chilling to read.
Sadly, however, the confusing narration wasn’t the only issue I found with this book. Despite the fact that this was a teen slasher, I found the content beyond gory at times. With both body and bug horror in spades, I was deeply grossed out by quite a few scenes. I do have to say, though, that this was likely down to the fact that I’m relatively new to the genre. After all, beyond the few hiccups that I mentioned above, I really did enjoy this tale of sapphic horror. An eye-popping read that will keep your eyes glued to the words, it was definitely one you’re going to want to read with the lights on. You see, between the monster and the blatant carnage, I was creeped out but good. So if you don’t mind a bit of gore and love a deep look at some serious themes such as childhood trauma, grab this book now. It’s one that will leave vivid images burned into my brain for a very, very long time. Rating of 3.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Penny's abusive father is dead…but she still hears his voice in her head, encouraging her to hurt those around her. She can't go to school or be around her friends or even draw with a sharp pencil without her intrusive thoughts urging her toward violence. Desperate to get a handle on her OCD, she agrees to spend the summer at Camp Whitewood―an exclusive therapy retreat in the woods.
She feels optimistic when she arrives. The other girls all have their reasons for being there, which makes Penny feel a little less alone. But then she starts seeing things that can't possibly be there: the gold watch her father was buried with, his favorite whiskey spilled on her cabin floor...a terrifying figure she calls the Shadow Man looming at the foot of her bed. Penny thinks she is losing her mind, but when a girl goes missing, and is later found dead, it's clear that whatever is happening at Camp Whitewood isn't all in her head.
As the hallucinations become increasingly intense and more girls wind up dead, Penny must work with whoever is left standing to figure out what is real before the Shadow Man uses their traumas against them and claims their lives.
Thank you Christina Ferko and Sourcebooks Fire for my complimentary Midnight Reads box which included this copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: February 3, 2026
Content warning: death, OCD, intrusive thoughts, alcoholism, graphic violence, child abduction, home invasion, domestic abuse, cancer, mention of: suicide
Sadly, however, the confusing narration wasn’t the only issue I found with this book. Despite the fact that this was a teen slasher, I found the content beyond gory at times. With both body and bug horror in spades, I was deeply grossed out by quite a few scenes. I do have to say, though, that this was likely down to the fact that I’m relatively new to the genre. After all, beyond the few hiccups that I mentioned above, I really did enjoy this tale of sapphic horror. An eye-popping read that will keep your eyes glued to the words, it was definitely one you’re going to want to read with the lights on. You see, between the monster and the blatant carnage, I was creeped out but good. So if you don’t mind a bit of gore and love a deep look at some serious themes such as childhood trauma, grab this book now. It’s one that will leave vivid images burned into my brain for a very, very long time. Rating of 3.5 stars.
SYNOPSIS:
Penny's abusive father is dead…but she still hears his voice in her head, encouraging her to hurt those around her. She can't go to school or be around her friends or even draw with a sharp pencil without her intrusive thoughts urging her toward violence. Desperate to get a handle on her OCD, she agrees to spend the summer at Camp Whitewood―an exclusive therapy retreat in the woods.
She feels optimistic when she arrives. The other girls all have their reasons for being there, which makes Penny feel a little less alone. But then she starts seeing things that can't possibly be there: the gold watch her father was buried with, his favorite whiskey spilled on her cabin floor...a terrifying figure she calls the Shadow Man looming at the foot of her bed. Penny thinks she is losing her mind, but when a girl goes missing, and is later found dead, it's clear that whatever is happening at Camp Whitewood isn't all in her head.
As the hallucinations become increasingly intense and more girls wind up dead, Penny must work with whoever is left standing to figure out what is real before the Shadow Man uses their traumas against them and claims their lives.
Thank you Christina Ferko and Sourcebooks Fire for my complimentary Midnight Reads box which included this copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: February 3, 2026
Content warning: death, OCD, intrusive thoughts, alcoholism, graphic violence, child abduction, home invasion, domestic abuse, cancer, mention of: suicide
October 24, 2025
Such a creepy YA horror, representing mental illness AND a bit of a soft sapphic side. I was hooked. I loved the plotline and the dynamic between all the girls so much.
December 8, 2025
this was super scary!!! I loved how it ended and the message behind the story! great book!
September 25, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free E-ARC. All thoughts are honest and my own.
The concept for The Darkness Greeted Her was stellar. A girl with OCD fighting her inner demons at a mental health camp, but also like, maybe an actual demon? That's incredibly up my alley, as a horror fan with OCD, and I applaud the author for her creative ideas.
Unfortunately, I didn't like this one. Not because of the OCD! The OCD was, for the most part, written well. I had personal gripes, but I recognize they're more about how I think about my own OCD. I think it's a good portrayal of harm OCD in general and quite needed in the online space, especially within books that aren't contemporaries solely about mental health. I felt seen by how Penny thinks and comforted by how this book doesn't blame her.
My problem with this book came from what was, in my opinion, a chronic over-reliance on telling instead of showing. There were a few moments where the author simply allowed her prose and subtlety to carry the scene, and those were fantastic. However, the vast majority of the book was repetitive or overly descriptive. In particular, I feel like none of the flashback chapters were necessary. Dialogue, symbolism, and observations made by Penny had me understand every single person's backstory before we got the scene (except Reagan's, but that's because we didn't really meet her). The scenes didn't feel like clarity, they felt bloated. There was also a lot of inner monologue by Penny that was just her repeating the same things we knew over again or providing extraneous information (e.g., we did not need to know her friend Beth ever even existed). I of course understand there's a level of repetition involved in anyone with OCD's life, but it didn't feel like it was supposed to be that, it just felt like the book wasn't quite confident its readers would "get it" ("it" being the characters, the worldbuilding, and the story as a whole). Additionally, every location was over-described. I found myself hit with way too much sensory information at once, leading me to have a difficult time actually picking out what about each location was important.
I also felt like the cast was spread too thin. Ferko attempted to create a well-balanced ensemble cast, which I understand and admire, but... it really wasn't needed. The story would work just as well in particular if we never dove into Quinn or Reagan's backstories and limited the talk on Page, Kylie, and Emma's. The reader could just as easily grasp the horror without diving in, repetitively, to exactly why and how those things made them feel the way they did. It didn't feel fleshed out to me, but rather again bloated and cluttered, especially within scary scenes.
I do still think this book has an interesting concept, and I found descriptions of the way the monster moved and expanded to be well-done. In particular, without spoiling it, the monster's mouth and the fears related to the character Delaney genuinely had me spooked. I also liked Penny, both as a character and an exploration of harm OCD. The book's overall execution just didn't make it for me this time, so I'd have to pass on a personal recommendation.
The concept for The Darkness Greeted Her was stellar. A girl with OCD fighting her inner demons at a mental health camp, but also like, maybe an actual demon? That's incredibly up my alley, as a horror fan with OCD, and I applaud the author for her creative ideas.
Unfortunately, I didn't like this one. Not because of the OCD! The OCD was, for the most part, written well. I had personal gripes, but I recognize they're more about how I think about my own OCD. I think it's a good portrayal of harm OCD in general and quite needed in the online space, especially within books that aren't contemporaries solely about mental health. I felt seen by how Penny thinks and comforted by how this book doesn't blame her.
My problem with this book came from what was, in my opinion, a chronic over-reliance on telling instead of showing. There were a few moments where the author simply allowed her prose and subtlety to carry the scene, and those were fantastic. However, the vast majority of the book was repetitive or overly descriptive. In particular, I feel like none of the flashback chapters were necessary. Dialogue, symbolism, and observations made by Penny had me understand every single person's backstory before we got the scene (except Reagan's, but that's because we didn't really meet her). The scenes didn't feel like clarity, they felt bloated. There was also a lot of inner monologue by Penny that was just her repeating the same things we knew over again or providing extraneous information (e.g., we did not need to know her friend Beth ever even existed). I of course understand there's a level of repetition involved in anyone with OCD's life, but it didn't feel like it was supposed to be that, it just felt like the book wasn't quite confident its readers would "get it" ("it" being the characters, the worldbuilding, and the story as a whole). Additionally, every location was over-described. I found myself hit with way too much sensory information at once, leading me to have a difficult time actually picking out what about each location was important.
I also felt like the cast was spread too thin. Ferko attempted to create a well-balanced ensemble cast, which I understand and admire, but... it really wasn't needed. The story would work just as well in particular if we never dove into Quinn or Reagan's backstories and limited the talk on Page, Kylie, and Emma's. The reader could just as easily grasp the horror without diving in, repetitively, to exactly why and how those things made them feel the way they did. It didn't feel fleshed out to me, but rather again bloated and cluttered, especially within scary scenes.
I do still think this book has an interesting concept, and I found descriptions of the way the monster moved and expanded to be well-done. In particular, without spoiling it, the monster's mouth and the fears related to the character Delaney genuinely had me spooked. I also liked Penny, both as a character and an exploration of harm OCD. The book's overall execution just didn't make it for me this time, so I'd have to pass on a personal recommendation.
February 3, 2026
The Darkness Greeted Her was an okay read but ultimately felt underwhelming. One of the strongest aspects of the book was its spooky, creepy atmosphere—the eerie horror vibes were well done and created an unsettling tone that I genuinely enjoyed. I also appreciated the author’s intention to center the story around Harm OCD, which is a very sensitive and important topic. That choice felt thoughtful and commendable.
However, while Harm OCD was introduced as a core focus, it felt more like a surface-level exploration of how the protagonist feels when it takes over, rather than showing her actively navigating those challenges. I personally would have liked to see deeper engagement with that struggle, as it felt brushed over a bit too lightly.
The characters also felt underdeveloped across the board. For a horror novel rooted in Appalachian folklore, the setting and regional mythology were surprisingly underused. There was so much potential to lean into the folklore and atmosphere to heighten the horror, but it never fully delivered. Given the length of the book, it also felt repetitive at times—many scenes in the camp felt redundant, and I think at least 20% of the book could have been trimmed without impacting the story.
Overall, this was an okay read. I don’t read a lot of horror to compare it to, but if you’re looking for something relatively fast-paced with eerie vibes, this might work for you.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for gifting me a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
However, while Harm OCD was introduced as a core focus, it felt more like a surface-level exploration of how the protagonist feels when it takes over, rather than showing her actively navigating those challenges. I personally would have liked to see deeper engagement with that struggle, as it felt brushed over a bit too lightly.
The characters also felt underdeveloped across the board. For a horror novel rooted in Appalachian folklore, the setting and regional mythology were surprisingly underused. There was so much potential to lean into the folklore and atmosphere to heighten the horror, but it never fully delivered. Given the length of the book, it also felt repetitive at times—many scenes in the camp felt redundant, and I think at least 20% of the book could have been trimmed without impacting the story.
Overall, this was an okay read. I don’t read a lot of horror to compare it to, but if you’re looking for something relatively fast-paced with eerie vibes, this might work for you.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire for gifting me a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
October 30, 2025
The Darkness Greeted Her follows Penny as she spends the summer at a therapy retreat in the Appalachian woods to get a handle on her OCD. But she starts seeing things that can’t be there, traumatic mementos from her past and then a figure looming over her bed. When a girl goes missing, Penny realizes something is happening at the camp and she must figure out what before it’s too late.
I’m a sucker for any kind of horror or mystery/thriller set in the woods, especially when it’s a summer camp. The vibes in this one were excellent! The writing and descriptions were so atmospheric and terrifying. I also loved Penny’s hallucinations. Things get a tad confusing just as you really don’t know what’s real and what’s not. But it was very enjoyable.
I quite enjoyed Penny’s character. It was really interesting to see how her OCD manifests and how she deals with it. And the trauma of her past. It was nice to see her growth through the novel. I do wish we got a bit more page time with the side characters, beside their individual chapters. But overall, it was a very spooky and entertaining read that is quite gripping.
If you love sapphic horror, especially ones set in isolated places, I’d recommend checking this one out!
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the arc!
I’m a sucker for any kind of horror or mystery/thriller set in the woods, especially when it’s a summer camp. The vibes in this one were excellent! The writing and descriptions were so atmospheric and terrifying. I also loved Penny’s hallucinations. Things get a tad confusing just as you really don’t know what’s real and what’s not. But it was very enjoyable.
I quite enjoyed Penny’s character. It was really interesting to see how her OCD manifests and how she deals with it. And the trauma of her past. It was nice to see her growth through the novel. I do wish we got a bit more page time with the side characters, beside their individual chapters. But overall, it was a very spooky and entertaining read that is quite gripping.
If you love sapphic horror, especially ones set in isolated places, I’d recommend checking this one out!
Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the arc!
December 7, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the arc of The Darkness Greeted Her!
Actual rating *3.75, rounding up to 4 because I am a sucker for sapphic stories.
Penny is a well-written character, and the representation of Harm OCD was extremely well-done. It felt nice to see how dark and terrifying intrusive thoughts can be when it isn’t talked about nearly enough.
The story, while feeling a little more show than tell, is pretty decently paced. Initially, I had trouble feeling immersed as I thought the writing was a little stilted, but the further I got into it, the more I felt on edge.
I liked the characters outside of Penny, but didn’t feel like they were as fleshed out as they could have been. Even Emma and Harper—who we see the most of besides Penny—still felt two-dimensional throughout the book. Their relationships with one another were nice to see, but definitely not fully expanded upon.
I think that maybe a lot of the character development took a backseat to explore Penny’s personal traumas and struggles with her mental health. I enjoyed seeing her work through her inner turmoil and realize that she was strong enough to fight her monsters.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I felt like there were aspects of it that could have been better.
Actual rating *3.75, rounding up to 4 because I am a sucker for sapphic stories.
Penny is a well-written character, and the representation of Harm OCD was extremely well-done. It felt nice to see how dark and terrifying intrusive thoughts can be when it isn’t talked about nearly enough.
The story, while feeling a little more show than tell, is pretty decently paced. Initially, I had trouble feeling immersed as I thought the writing was a little stilted, but the further I got into it, the more I felt on edge.
I liked the characters outside of Penny, but didn’t feel like they were as fleshed out as they could have been. Even Emma and Harper—who we see the most of besides Penny—still felt two-dimensional throughout the book. Their relationships with one another were nice to see, but definitely not fully expanded upon.
I think that maybe a lot of the character development took a backseat to explore Penny’s personal traumas and struggles with her mental health. I enjoyed seeing her work through her inner turmoil and realize that she was strong enough to fight her monsters.
Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I felt like there were aspects of it that could have been better.
November 10, 2025
Scary-good. TDGH is a YA sapphic horror novel. Ferko’s debut. The story has a clear protagonist, layered antagonist. It is an eerie slow burn. Set in an all-girls camp with a focus on mental health - think cabins in the woods. A story of bravery and survival. It was an immersive read. Finished within a week. 5/5. Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 27, 2026
This was binge worthy young adult horror book. I loved the atmospheric summer camp setting. This book was hard to put down as it followed Penny as she struggled with her OCD and couldn’t tell what was real and what were hallucinations. This was an immersive read which constantly had me wondering what was going to happen next as well as trying to figure out what was really happening. Overall this was a great horror book with some creepy vibes. Heads up that this book does have some content warnings.
Read this if you like:
📖 Summer camp settings
📖 Mental health rep
📖 LGBTQ rep
Thank you to @sourcebooksfire for the gifted arc.
Read this if you like:
📖 Summer camp settings
📖 Mental health rep
📖 LGBTQ rep
Thank you to @sourcebooksfire for the gifted arc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for giving me an ARC of this book.
The beginning of the novel certainly grasps your attention, but we never did click. There was a lot of repetition that eventually got me so used to unsettling moments they lost their tension, and the suspense of disbelief that I needed in order to accept the workings of the story didn't quite set in for me. I wasn't overall charmed, but still found it to be a good idea.
The beginning of the novel certainly grasps your attention, but we never did click. There was a lot of repetition that eventually got me so used to unsettling moments they lost their tension, and the suspense of disbelief that I needed in order to accept the workings of the story didn't quite set in for me. I wasn't overall charmed, but still found it to be a good idea.
September 27, 2025
Thank you NetGallery for the eARC!! 3.5 ⭐️
Spoilers ahead:
The concept of this book is promising, but at the end of the day the execution is okay. The pacing is what threw me off the most—once you hit about the half way point it’s no longer suspenseful and just constant action. I wish the tension was drawn out more, especially with the deaths of the adults. The creature was very scary, and the twist with Clara was great. But there needed to be more tension and a stronger central plot.
The overall message is very powerful however! The ability to regain control of your mind after dealing with a heavy trauma is a hard thing to discuss and write. This book does succeed in creating an impactful message about being able to grow and be more than your trauma.
Overall, this was an okay book.
Spoilers ahead:
The concept of this book is promising, but at the end of the day the execution is okay. The pacing is what threw me off the most—once you hit about the half way point it’s no longer suspenseful and just constant action. I wish the tension was drawn out more, especially with the deaths of the adults. The creature was very scary, and the twist with Clara was great. But there needed to be more tension and a stronger central plot.
The overall message is very powerful however! The ability to regain control of your mind after dealing with a heavy trauma is a hard thing to discuss and write. This book does succeed in creating an impactful message about being able to grow and be more than your trauma.
Overall, this was an okay book.
January 17, 2026
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.This was an unsolicited ARC from the publisher. At over 400 pages I was unsure if I'd end up finishing it. But in the end I did. The book was a little slow for me. And I kept wondering all the way through how much was just hallucinations or maybe it was something the camp was doing to try to "help" them with their issues. I know that is something that a lot of people like in their stories like this, to be kept wondering for sure. For me, I don't always like the ambiguity and want to know it is actually something supernatural or just psychological. This might be a spoiler for you, but it did end up having some actual real supernatural things going on. There is still part of it that could be considered more psychological.
Some of it got kind of repetitive for me and I got a little bored at times. I did make it through because like I said, I wanted to know what kind of story it was going to actually turn into. The characters' journeys and growth in dealing with their past trauma did have some really good aspects to it though. And I can see that makes it good for those aspects. In the end, as I said, it was okay for me. I made it all the way through to find out what actually was going on and how they would get past whatever it was or if it would be left hanging in the end with that evil still out there.This review was originally posted on Lisa Loves Literature
Some of it got kind of repetitive for me and I got a little bored at times. I did make it through because like I said, I wanted to know what kind of story it was going to actually turn into. The characters' journeys and growth in dealing with their past trauma did have some really good aspects to it though. And I can see that makes it good for those aspects. In the end, as I said, it was okay for me. I made it all the way through to find out what actually was going on and how they would get past whatever it was or if it would be left hanging in the end with that evil still out there.This review was originally posted on Lisa Loves Literature
January 31, 2026
ARC review
Thanks so much for Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for the eARC.
This YA horror was an addictive read, and I couldn’t put it down. Plenty of teen slasher mixed with eldritch horrors, mental health awareness, unreliable narrator and a sweet sapphic story in the background.
Penny has suffered her whole short life in a home with an abusive alcoholic father who took his many issues out on her and her mother. When he dies, she’s haunted by his voice in her head, encouraging her to harm others and enters a summer camp therapy program to manage her HARM OCD. But the camp staff and campers aren’t the only things in the forest, and soon, they’re fighting for their lives against something they can’t understand which is haunting them all with elements of their traumatic pasts.
This book grabbed me from the very start. It’s heavily atmospheric and the dread and fear is pervasive. We get glimpses into each character’s past and the trauma that brought them here (including most of the staff) and seeing the survivors coming together in ownership of their pain was so powerful. The struggles with mental health were so well depicted. I especially loved Penny’s relationship with Harper - they’re so gentle and open with each other.
Thanks so much for Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for the eARC.
This YA horror was an addictive read, and I couldn’t put it down. Plenty of teen slasher mixed with eldritch horrors, mental health awareness, unreliable narrator and a sweet sapphic story in the background.
Penny has suffered her whole short life in a home with an abusive alcoholic father who took his many issues out on her and her mother. When he dies, she’s haunted by his voice in her head, encouraging her to harm others and enters a summer camp therapy program to manage her HARM OCD. But the camp staff and campers aren’t the only things in the forest, and soon, they’re fighting for their lives against something they can’t understand which is haunting them all with elements of their traumatic pasts.
This book grabbed me from the very start. It’s heavily atmospheric and the dread and fear is pervasive. We get glimpses into each character’s past and the trauma that brought them here (including most of the staff) and seeing the survivors coming together in ownership of their pain was so powerful. The struggles with mental health were so well depicted. I especially loved Penny’s relationship with Harper - they’re so gentle and open with each other.
October 5, 2025
3 Stars.
The first chapter starts off incredibly strong, but the chapters that follow started to drag the story don't. I spent too much time waiting for it to get good.
The main character, Penny, suffers from OCD and intrusive thoughts. As someone who suffers from pure o, I know how exhausting and suffocating it can be. I think the ocd aspects were very well done and felt realistic while keeping in tone with the story.
Some of the characters and their choices were baffling. I also don't want to say they were one dimensional, but they also didn't feel like real people to me.
The writing was incredibly strong and well written. The plot and story itself was well done besides the few issues I did have with it.
Thank you netgalley and sourcebooks for the arc.
The first chapter starts off incredibly strong, but the chapters that follow started to drag the story don't. I spent too much time waiting for it to get good.
The main character, Penny, suffers from OCD and intrusive thoughts. As someone who suffers from pure o, I know how exhausting and suffocating it can be. I think the ocd aspects were very well done and felt realistic while keeping in tone with the story.
Some of the characters and their choices were baffling. I also don't want to say they were one dimensional, but they also didn't feel like real people to me.
The writing was incredibly strong and well written. The plot and story itself was well done besides the few issues I did have with it.
Thank you netgalley and sourcebooks for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
4.5 stars.
Mental Health Summer Camp✔️
Adults that "just want to help"✔️
Forced-ish Trauma Bonding✔️
Creepy Trauma Monster✔️
Queer✔️
I've heard grief and trauma referred to as a monster but what happened when instead of facing that monster you become the monster? This book deals with a lot of painful subjects and of course it happened to be the first book I picked up from my Midnight Reads box. Because why would I be gentle with myself? I would also like to say I did not have 'being punched in the face by a book' on my 2026 bingo card but... here... we.... are.
Mental Health Summer Camp✔️
Adults that "just want to help"✔️
Forced-ish Trauma Bonding✔️
Creepy Trauma Monster✔️
Queer✔️
I've heard grief and trauma referred to as a monster but what happened when instead of facing that monster you become the monster? This book deals with a lot of painful subjects and of course it happened to be the first book I picked up from my Midnight Reads box. Because why would I be gentle with myself? I would also like to say I did not have 'being punched in the face by a book' on my 2026 bingo card but... here... we.... are.
Want to read
January 15, 2026Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for this ARC! The Darkness Greeted Her by Christina Ferko comes out on February 3, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
this was book so emotional good.
December 15, 2025
Mini blurb: A girl suffering from harm OCD joins a therapy retreat where she and her fellow campers start getting plagued by vivid hallucinations - or are they? - and end up fighting for their lives against a monster unlike any other.
***
Rated 3.5 really.
First off...DISCLAIMER: this title was up for grabs on NetGalley (in the Read Now section). Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire for providing a temporary ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.
A supernatural twist on the camp-slasher trope with a good dose of heart, a dollop of queer romance, and a believable (if at times simplistic/expedient) approach to trauma and mental health. The horror parts are hard-hitting and masterfully done, and the monster lore is both imaginative and exciting, though its connection to Clara (the first victim from one year before) creates some issues and a bit of confusion. I found the characters to be likeable enough and I loved the female kinship aspect, but like in any slasher, I felt the need to know the cast better than this kind of plot allows. To her credit, the author gives us a bit of insight into each girl's past (namely, the trauma that branded them) in a series of at times poetical flashback chapters...but I was still left wanting more. Seeing the main character battling and copying with her harm OCD was indeed empowering, and will probably resonate with a number of young readers - but this senior one was far more enthralled by the very vivid, trauma-related hallucinations and the way they were handled/portrayed (there's a nice twist in there). All in all, I'd recommend this one (especially for the appropriate age range), as long as you can handle reading about intrusive thoughts, domestic abuse and other though topics (see the note at the start of the book) and gore/body horror/bug horror.
Note: definitive review (I don't have enough to say to justify writing a full-length one later).
***
Rated 3.5 really.
First off...DISCLAIMER: this title was up for grabs on NetGalley (in the Read Now section). Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire for providing a temporary ecopy. This didn't influence my review in any way.
A supernatural twist on the camp-slasher trope with a good dose of heart, a dollop of queer romance, and a believable (if at times simplistic/expedient) approach to trauma and mental health. The horror parts are hard-hitting and masterfully done, and the monster lore is both imaginative and exciting, though its connection to Clara (the first victim from one year before) creates some issues and a bit of confusion. I found the characters to be likeable enough and I loved the female kinship aspect, but like in any slasher, I felt the need to know the cast better than this kind of plot allows. To her credit, the author gives us a bit of insight into each girl's past (namely, the trauma that branded them) in a series of at times poetical flashback chapters...but I was still left wanting more. Seeing the main character battling and copying with her harm OCD was indeed empowering, and will probably resonate with a number of young readers - but this senior one was far more enthralled by the very vivid, trauma-related hallucinations and the way they were handled/portrayed (there's a nice twist in there). All in all, I'd recommend this one (especially for the appropriate age range), as long as you can handle reading about intrusive thoughts, domestic abuse and other though topics (see the note at the start of the book) and gore/body horror/bug horror.
Note: definitive review (I don't have enough to say to justify writing a full-length one later).
November 5, 2025
There’s a particular kind of dread that comes from not being able to trust your own perception of reality. The Darkness Greeted Her by Christina Ferko weaponizes that uncertainty with brutal efficiency, creating a reading experience that left me genuinely unsettled in ways I wasn’t expecting from what initially seemed like straightforward summer camp horror.
Penny arrives at a therapy retreat deep in the Appalachian woods hoping to manage her OCD through intensive treatment in a controlled environment. The setup immediately establishes vulnerability—she’s already struggling with intrusive thoughts and compulsions, already questioning her own mind’s reliability. When she starts seeing things that shouldn’t be there, the question becomes whether these are hallucinations symptomatic of her condition or genuine supernatural threats.
That ambiguity becomes the book’s greatest strength and occasionally its most frustrating aspect. Ferko deliberately keeps readers as disoriented as Penny herself, never quite confirming what’s real until the absolute last moment. Some readers will find this maddening, but I found it remarkably effective at creating sustained unease. The confusion isn’t a bug—it’s the entire point.
The Appalachian setting does serious atmospheric work throughout. Ferko understands how to make isolation feel oppressive, how woods that should feel peaceful instead become threatening when you’re cut off from outside contact. The retreat itself operates with that particular institutional quality where everything seems designed for your benefit while actually serving purposes you don’t fully understand.
Penny’s OCD is portrayed with specificity that suggests genuine research or lived experience. Ferko shows how the disorder manifests not just in obvious compulsions but in thought patterns and coping mechanisms that shape how Penny navigates the world. Her unreliable narration stems directly from this condition—she’s spent years questioning her own perceptions, so when genuinely impossible things start happening, she has no framework for distinguishing between symptom and reality.
The traumatic elements from Penny’s past surface gradually, creating this layered portrait of someone carrying multiple forms of psychological burden. Ferko connects past trauma to present manifestations without being simplistic or reductive about mental illness. The hallucinations Penny experiences draw from her history in ways that feel psychologically coherent even when they’re literally impossible.
When another girl goes missing from the retreat, the story shifts into more traditional thriller territory while maintaining its psychological horror foundation. The mystery of what’s happening at the camp unfolds alongside Penny’s internal struggle, creating dual sources of tension that feed into each other beautifully.
Ferko’s monster—and there definitely is one, though revealing details would spoil half the fun—is genuinely disturbing. She describes it with just enough specificity that you can picture something horrifying without getting bogged down in over-explanation. The creature feels both physically threatening and psychologically resonant, representing something beyond simple monster-in-the-woods danger.
The violence, when it arrives, doesn’t hold back. Ferko commits fully to the horror elements, creating scenes of genuine brutality that serve the story’s escalating stakes. No character feels protected by plot armor, which adds real tension to every encounter. The final act moves with breathless momentum as everything that’s been building finally explodes into action.
Penny’s character development throughout feels earned rather than convenient. Ferko shows her growth through how she responds to increasingly impossible situations, how she learns to trust her own judgment even when she has every reason to doubt herself. It’s satisfying character work that grounds the more fantastical elements.
The sapphic romance elements, while present, operate more as subtext than central plot. There’s attraction and connection between certain characters, but Ferko wisely keeps focus on survival and mystery rather than forcing romantic development in situations where it would feel artificial.
My primary criticism involves the supporting characters, who feel somewhat underdeveloped despite receiving their own POV chapters. Ferko gives us glimpses into their perspectives, but not quite enough time to fully invest in them as individuals. They serve their narrative purposes competently without becoming as three-dimensional as Penny herself.
The structure of alternating between Penny’s increasingly unreliable narration and these outside perspectives creates interesting dramatic irony. We sometimes know things Penny doesn’t, or see events from angles she can’t access, which adds complexity to how we interpret her experiences.
Ferko’s prose style serves the atmospheric horror beautifully. She has a gift for description that makes ordinary settings feel menacing, for finding the threat lurking in mundane details. The writing never becomes purple or overwrought—she trusts readers to feel the dread she’s building rather than over-explaining it.
The Darkness Greeted Her succeeds most impressively in maintaining uncertainty without feeling manipulative. The ambiguity serves thematic purposes about mental illness, perception, and how we construct reality. Even after finishing, I found myself reconsidering certain scenes, questioning what was literal versus metaphorical.
For readers who like:
Fans of A Certain Hunger or The Only Good Indians, anyone who appreciated The Silent Companions for its atmospheric dread, readers seeking horror that engages seriously with mental illness, and those who enjoy unreliable narrators.
Final Verdict
Christina Ferko has crafted a genuinely unsettling debut that uses psychological horror to enhance rather than replace supernatural terror. The Darkness Greeted Her won’t work for readers who need clear answers or prefer straightforward narratives, but for those willing to sit with uncertainty and trust an unreliable narrator, it delivers real scares and thoughtful character work. The Appalachian setting provides perfect backdrop for isolation and dread, while Penny’s OCD adds psychological complexity that elevates this above typical monster-in-the-woods fare. This is horror that understands the scariest thing isn’t always what’s lurking in the darkness—sometimes it’s not knowing whether you can trust your own mind to show you what’s really there.
Grateful to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire, and Christina Ferko for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
Penny arrives at a therapy retreat deep in the Appalachian woods hoping to manage her OCD through intensive treatment in a controlled environment. The setup immediately establishes vulnerability—she’s already struggling with intrusive thoughts and compulsions, already questioning her own mind’s reliability. When she starts seeing things that shouldn’t be there, the question becomes whether these are hallucinations symptomatic of her condition or genuine supernatural threats.
That ambiguity becomes the book’s greatest strength and occasionally its most frustrating aspect. Ferko deliberately keeps readers as disoriented as Penny herself, never quite confirming what’s real until the absolute last moment. Some readers will find this maddening, but I found it remarkably effective at creating sustained unease. The confusion isn’t a bug—it’s the entire point.
The Appalachian setting does serious atmospheric work throughout. Ferko understands how to make isolation feel oppressive, how woods that should feel peaceful instead become threatening when you’re cut off from outside contact. The retreat itself operates with that particular institutional quality where everything seems designed for your benefit while actually serving purposes you don’t fully understand.
Penny’s OCD is portrayed with specificity that suggests genuine research or lived experience. Ferko shows how the disorder manifests not just in obvious compulsions but in thought patterns and coping mechanisms that shape how Penny navigates the world. Her unreliable narration stems directly from this condition—she’s spent years questioning her own perceptions, so when genuinely impossible things start happening, she has no framework for distinguishing between symptom and reality.
The traumatic elements from Penny’s past surface gradually, creating this layered portrait of someone carrying multiple forms of psychological burden. Ferko connects past trauma to present manifestations without being simplistic or reductive about mental illness. The hallucinations Penny experiences draw from her history in ways that feel psychologically coherent even when they’re literally impossible.
When another girl goes missing from the retreat, the story shifts into more traditional thriller territory while maintaining its psychological horror foundation. The mystery of what’s happening at the camp unfolds alongside Penny’s internal struggle, creating dual sources of tension that feed into each other beautifully.
Ferko’s monster—and there definitely is one, though revealing details would spoil half the fun—is genuinely disturbing. She describes it with just enough specificity that you can picture something horrifying without getting bogged down in over-explanation. The creature feels both physically threatening and psychologically resonant, representing something beyond simple monster-in-the-woods danger.
The violence, when it arrives, doesn’t hold back. Ferko commits fully to the horror elements, creating scenes of genuine brutality that serve the story’s escalating stakes. No character feels protected by plot armor, which adds real tension to every encounter. The final act moves with breathless momentum as everything that’s been building finally explodes into action.
Penny’s character development throughout feels earned rather than convenient. Ferko shows her growth through how she responds to increasingly impossible situations, how she learns to trust her own judgment even when she has every reason to doubt herself. It’s satisfying character work that grounds the more fantastical elements.
The sapphic romance elements, while present, operate more as subtext than central plot. There’s attraction and connection between certain characters, but Ferko wisely keeps focus on survival and mystery rather than forcing romantic development in situations where it would feel artificial.
My primary criticism involves the supporting characters, who feel somewhat underdeveloped despite receiving their own POV chapters. Ferko gives us glimpses into their perspectives, but not quite enough time to fully invest in them as individuals. They serve their narrative purposes competently without becoming as three-dimensional as Penny herself.
The structure of alternating between Penny’s increasingly unreliable narration and these outside perspectives creates interesting dramatic irony. We sometimes know things Penny doesn’t, or see events from angles she can’t access, which adds complexity to how we interpret her experiences.
Ferko’s prose style serves the atmospheric horror beautifully. She has a gift for description that makes ordinary settings feel menacing, for finding the threat lurking in mundane details. The writing never becomes purple or overwrought—she trusts readers to feel the dread she’s building rather than over-explaining it.
The Darkness Greeted Her succeeds most impressively in maintaining uncertainty without feeling manipulative. The ambiguity serves thematic purposes about mental illness, perception, and how we construct reality. Even after finishing, I found myself reconsidering certain scenes, questioning what was literal versus metaphorical.
For readers who like:
Fans of A Certain Hunger or The Only Good Indians, anyone who appreciated The Silent Companions for its atmospheric dread, readers seeking horror that engages seriously with mental illness, and those who enjoy unreliable narrators.
Final Verdict
Christina Ferko has crafted a genuinely unsettling debut that uses psychological horror to enhance rather than replace supernatural terror. The Darkness Greeted Her won’t work for readers who need clear answers or prefer straightforward narratives, but for those willing to sit with uncertainty and trust an unreliable narrator, it delivers real scares and thoughtful character work. The Appalachian setting provides perfect backdrop for isolation and dread, while Penny’s OCD adds psychological complexity that elevates this above typical monster-in-the-woods fare. This is horror that understands the scariest thing isn’t always what’s lurking in the darkness—sometimes it’s not knowing whether you can trust your own mind to show you what’s really there.
Grateful to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Fire, and Christina Ferko for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.
September 28, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Christina Ferko’s “The Darkness Greeted Her” is an ambitious blend of psychological horror, nightmare-fueled suspense, and heartfelt coming-of-age. Set at a mental health camp for teen girls, the story uses a surreal, almost Nightmare on Elm Street-style premise where fears and traumas manifest into deadly, tangible nightmares to explore themes of abuse, healing, and female friendship.
At the heart of the story is Penny, a girl grappling with OCD and the scars left by her abusive father. Her intrusive thoughts and anxieties are rendered with a striking realism that makes her both relatable and deeply sympathetic. Ferko’s portrayal of harm OCD is handled with sensitivity, balancing accuracy with narrative tension. As the nightmares at camp grow stronger—able to harm, even kill—the story forces Penny to confront not only the monstrous entity stalking the campers but also her own self-doubt and desperation for control. Along the way, Penny also experiences a tender, clean romance, adding an LGBTQ+ thread that enriches her arc without overshadowing the horror.
The story thrives in its atmosphere. The isolated camp setting is vividly drawn, amplifying paranoia and uncertainty. Throughout much of the story, you are left unsure about what’s real and what’s imagined, much like the characters themselves. The monster at the center of it all is brilliantly crafted; it’s unnerving, grotesque, and described with just enough detail to keep you looking over your shoulder. The blood and gore are plentiful, with no character truly safe, and the escalating violence gives the book a breathless momentum in its final act.
That said, the execution is uneven. The book introduces a wide cast of campers, each with their own trauma, but many feel underdeveloped, reduced to backstory rather than fully realized characters. Frequent flashbacks, while intended to deepen understanding, sometimes bog down the pacing and repeat information you may have already inferred. The prose leans heavily on telling rather than showing, with moments of over-description and repetitive inner monologue that dilute the impact of otherwise strong scenes. Around the halfway point, the suspense occasionally gives way to nonstop action, sacrificing some of the slow-burn tension the early chapters establish.
Still, Ferko shines when focusing on the core elements: Penny’s growth, the monster’s creeping terror, and the bonds formed between the girls. The found-family dynamic and the way the characters ultimately fight back, both literally and metaphorically, deliver a powerful message about resilience and reclaiming power after trauma. The ending is both bloody and cathartic, leaving you with the sense that healing is possible, even if scars remain.
Overall, “The Darkness Greeted Her” is a bold, memorable story. It’s a messy, gory, and emotional ride that highlights both the horrors of trauma and the strength it takes to overcome them.
Christina Ferko’s “The Darkness Greeted Her” is an ambitious blend of psychological horror, nightmare-fueled suspense, and heartfelt coming-of-age. Set at a mental health camp for teen girls, the story uses a surreal, almost Nightmare on Elm Street-style premise where fears and traumas manifest into deadly, tangible nightmares to explore themes of abuse, healing, and female friendship.
At the heart of the story is Penny, a girl grappling with OCD and the scars left by her abusive father. Her intrusive thoughts and anxieties are rendered with a striking realism that makes her both relatable and deeply sympathetic. Ferko’s portrayal of harm OCD is handled with sensitivity, balancing accuracy with narrative tension. As the nightmares at camp grow stronger—able to harm, even kill—the story forces Penny to confront not only the monstrous entity stalking the campers but also her own self-doubt and desperation for control. Along the way, Penny also experiences a tender, clean romance, adding an LGBTQ+ thread that enriches her arc without overshadowing the horror.
The story thrives in its atmosphere. The isolated camp setting is vividly drawn, amplifying paranoia and uncertainty. Throughout much of the story, you are left unsure about what’s real and what’s imagined, much like the characters themselves. The monster at the center of it all is brilliantly crafted; it’s unnerving, grotesque, and described with just enough detail to keep you looking over your shoulder. The blood and gore are plentiful, with no character truly safe, and the escalating violence gives the book a breathless momentum in its final act.
That said, the execution is uneven. The book introduces a wide cast of campers, each with their own trauma, but many feel underdeveloped, reduced to backstory rather than fully realized characters. Frequent flashbacks, while intended to deepen understanding, sometimes bog down the pacing and repeat information you may have already inferred. The prose leans heavily on telling rather than showing, with moments of over-description and repetitive inner monologue that dilute the impact of otherwise strong scenes. Around the halfway point, the suspense occasionally gives way to nonstop action, sacrificing some of the slow-burn tension the early chapters establish.
Still, Ferko shines when focusing on the core elements: Penny’s growth, the monster’s creeping terror, and the bonds formed between the girls. The found-family dynamic and the way the characters ultimately fight back, both literally and metaphorically, deliver a powerful message about resilience and reclaiming power after trauma. The ending is both bloody and cathartic, leaving you with the sense that healing is possible, even if scars remain.
Overall, “The Darkness Greeted Her” is a bold, memorable story. It’s a messy, gory, and emotional ride that highlights both the horrors of trauma and the strength it takes to overcome them.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Originally reviewed on StoryGraph: 2.75 ⭐️ rounded up
Thank you to Goodreads for hosting a giveaway for this book and the author for sending me a free copy. Nothing was promised in exchange for this book.
This book sounded right up my alley. A sapphic YA thriller in the wilderness? My kind of story. Unfortunately it missed the mark for me. When I saw that this book was over 400 pages, I was wary. I believe that in general, thrillers, especially YA thrillers should be around 300 pages or less, so I was worried that this was going to be repetitive and drag, which it did.
Every scene felt like it was twice as long as it needed to be. In particular, I dreaded when the monster would come up because I knew it was going to be the same torment we'd seen before. It was going to take forever for it to end and there would be another monster scene soon, sometimes just a few pages later. I would've much preferred less interactions with the monster that actually moved the plot forward and more time trying to figure out what the monster wanted.
I liked the chapters to show why the girls were there, but they felt randomly placed with no emotional impact. There was a way to fit their chapters in with the plot so it made more sense why we were seeing their background and had more of an investment in their stories, but it wasn't written that way and in the beginning, there were too many characters to keep track of in the present time before throwing in all their backstories.
I liked Penny well enough, but I don't think we got to see enough of her personality without the trauma for me to really connect to her. I also knew from the jump that she pushed her father down the stairs, so it was frustrating reading over and over that she repressed the memory. I felt like I was waiting for it to be revealed just so I wouldn't have to read about it again. I do want to commend the author on the way the OCD was written. I don't have OCD, but it felt realistic and invasive the way I assume OCD is. It wasn't repetitive at all and was written well and added something extra to the story that I enjoyed.
This is a small thing, but wendigos are my favorite cryptid. Please do not describe a creature exactly like a wendigo (thick antlers, a bone-bleached skull for a face, an emaciated body, and hooves for feet) and not only not make it a wendigo, but not even say what it was. I guess it could've been a wendigo, but it would've eaten the girls so fast and wouldn't have let the other monster feed off the girls exclusively. I think the author just took a description of a random cryptid, but none of the folklore or traits.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone I know, but I do think it might work for a teenager. I've read YA thrillers that I enjoyed, but this was too simplistic and long winded, which could work for someone younger. I would try another book by this author if it sounded interesting and if it was shorter.
Thank you to Goodreads for hosting a giveaway for this book and the author for sending me a free copy. Nothing was promised in exchange for this book.
This book sounded right up my alley. A sapphic YA thriller in the wilderness? My kind of story. Unfortunately it missed the mark for me. When I saw that this book was over 400 pages, I was wary. I believe that in general, thrillers, especially YA thrillers should be around 300 pages or less, so I was worried that this was going to be repetitive and drag, which it did.
Every scene felt like it was twice as long as it needed to be. In particular, I dreaded when the monster would come up because I knew it was going to be the same torment we'd seen before. It was going to take forever for it to end and there would be another monster scene soon, sometimes just a few pages later. I would've much preferred less interactions with the monster that actually moved the plot forward and more time trying to figure out what the monster wanted.
I liked the chapters to show why the girls were there, but they felt randomly placed with no emotional impact. There was a way to fit their chapters in with the plot so it made more sense why we were seeing their background and had more of an investment in their stories, but it wasn't written that way and in the beginning, there were too many characters to keep track of in the present time before throwing in all their backstories.
I liked Penny well enough, but I don't think we got to see enough of her personality without the trauma for me to really connect to her. I also knew from the jump that she pushed her father down the stairs, so it was frustrating reading over and over that she repressed the memory. I felt like I was waiting for it to be revealed just so I wouldn't have to read about it again. I do want to commend the author on the way the OCD was written. I don't have OCD, but it felt realistic and invasive the way I assume OCD is. It wasn't repetitive at all and was written well and added something extra to the story that I enjoyed.
This is a small thing, but wendigos are my favorite cryptid. Please do not describe a creature exactly like a wendigo (thick antlers, a bone-bleached skull for a face, an emaciated body, and hooves for feet) and not only not make it a wendigo, but not even say what it was. I guess it could've been a wendigo, but it would've eaten the girls so fast and wouldn't have let the other monster feed off the girls exclusively. I think the author just took a description of a random cryptid, but none of the folklore or traits.
I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone I know, but I do think it might work for a teenager. I've read YA thrillers that I enjoyed, but this was too simplistic and long winded, which could work for someone younger. I would try another book by this author if it sounded interesting and if it was shorter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2026
I really enjoyed reading The Darkness Greeted Her, a sapphic horror novel set in the Appalachian forests with excellent mental health representation! I may be biased - this book was written DIRECTLY to my interests, so I’ll try to be impartial.
This book reads SO QUICKLY. I’m a slow reader, and I read 50% in a single sitting and I still refuse to believe it’s 400+ pages. I sped through this.
I will note that there were some threads that never got resolved (or maybe they were resolved so quickly I missed them?), but as I barreled to the end of the book, I found that I didn’t care (which is a feat, for me). I was just so caught up in the story that it didn’t matter!
Ferko did a great job setting up both Penny’s trauma and the eerie setting right off the bat. This is probably personal preference, but I could have used even more of the Appalachian folklore early on in the book to drive that creep factor in the back of the reader’s minds. I loved the red herrings through the first 60% or so, and I think it would have lended even more to the final climax realizations if the folklore had been more heavily interwoven earlier on. There were a lot of possible ways that this book could have gone, and about 60% in or so I found myself a little disappointed that they didn’t go that way - until I read to the end. We wound up with a good, satisfying ending that really aligns with the genre.
I loved our core cast of characters, especially Penny, who struggled with Harm OCD. Everyone who misuses “intrusive thoughts” should give this book a read. Wanting to eat a second dessert is not an intrusive thought, folks!
I also loved Harper and the cute little romance that blossomed in the midst of both Penny’s struggles and the terror creeping in on the girls. I also REALLY enjoyed each girl’s flashback chapter, but I think they could have been leveraged a bit more creatively to drop some tidbits that informed earlier or later scenes. As-is, except for Reagan and Clara, the order of the girls’ individual chapters seems a bit haphazard. It’s not bad, it just had an opportunity to be great.
I understand what Ferko was going for with the 8-girl/3-adult cast, but I think we could have done with fewer girls and fewer deaths to get the point across. It just winds up being a lot of names, hairstyles, traumas, and important objects to keep track of towards the end.
The Darkness Greeted Her is a great addition to the YA horror genre, and I absolutely can’t wait to read more from this author.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for an eARC of this book so that I may leave an honest review.
This book reads SO QUICKLY. I’m a slow reader, and I read 50% in a single sitting and I still refuse to believe it’s 400+ pages. I sped through this.
I will note that there were some threads that never got resolved (or maybe they were resolved so quickly I missed them?), but as I barreled to the end of the book, I found that I didn’t care (which is a feat, for me). I was just so caught up in the story that it didn’t matter!
Ferko did a great job setting up both Penny’s trauma and the eerie setting right off the bat. This is probably personal preference, but I could have used even more of the Appalachian folklore early on in the book to drive that creep factor in the back of the reader’s minds. I loved the red herrings through the first 60% or so, and I think it would have lended even more to the final climax realizations if the folklore had been more heavily interwoven earlier on. There were a lot of possible ways that this book could have gone, and about 60% in or so I found myself a little disappointed that they didn’t go that way - until I read to the end. We wound up with a good, satisfying ending that really aligns with the genre.
I loved our core cast of characters, especially Penny, who struggled with Harm OCD. Everyone who misuses “intrusive thoughts” should give this book a read. Wanting to eat a second dessert is not an intrusive thought, folks!
I also loved Harper and the cute little romance that blossomed in the midst of both Penny’s struggles and the terror creeping in on the girls. I also REALLY enjoyed each girl’s flashback chapter, but I think they could have been leveraged a bit more creatively to drop some tidbits that informed earlier or later scenes. As-is, except for Reagan and Clara, the order of the girls’ individual chapters seems a bit haphazard. It’s not bad, it just had an opportunity to be great.
I understand what Ferko was going for with the 8-girl/3-adult cast, but I think we could have done with fewer girls and fewer deaths to get the point across. It just winds up being a lot of names, hairstyles, traumas, and important objects to keep track of towards the end.
The Darkness Greeted Her is a great addition to the YA horror genre, and I absolutely can’t wait to read more from this author.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for an eARC of this book so that I may leave an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 stars, really.
Penny has been struggling with “intrusive thoughts“ since her abusive father‘s death, so she decides to attend Camp Whitewood, a small, intensive therapy camp for girls in the Appalachian Mountains. But things immediately feel off once she gets there. She begins having strange visions that remind her of her father, and she begins seeing a strange shadowy creature. The camp’s therapy staff also seems suspicious, especially when girls begin to disappear. As the visions get more intense, and Penny discovers that other girls are having the same issues, she realizes she is going to have to figure out what’s going on at Camp Whitewood if she’s going to make it out alive.
This book is told from the point of view of Penny, but there are chapters interspersed throughout the book that tell the story of each of the campers.
I normally love a good atmospheric slasher, so this book really seemed right up my alley when I read the description. And it really does deliver on the horror aspects as well as the Gothic atmosphere and suspenseful tension. I never would’ve guessed the ending to this book and where it was going. In these aspects, this book was a real winner.
Anyone looking for those types of raw aspects will greatly enjoy this book.
The things that I struggled with a little bit were the long, muddled haunting scenes with the monster that seemed to combine so many stories and so many aspects of the story that it made it confusing for me. It was hard to keep everything straight when so many different elements were put into play at the same time. Same thing when we were put right into the middle of things at the start of the book with Penny and her intrusive thoughts, and how she was on her way to Camp Whitewood. It sort of startled me because there was no explanation for what was happening. It was just happening and that kind of rattled me a little bit.
But overall, this was a solid teen slasher book that was high on suspense and atmosphere and really put you in the middle of a troubled camp and invest you in the situation of these girls. I was totally enthralled and wanted to know what happened to them, and read to the end, wanting to know what was going to happen and the solution to the central mystery of the story, which, as I said before, I did not see coming.
I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a good haunting camp story.
I would also give this author another read because the story was highly inventive, and atmosphere and suspense are definitely key elements to a story!
Penny has been struggling with “intrusive thoughts“ since her abusive father‘s death, so she decides to attend Camp Whitewood, a small, intensive therapy camp for girls in the Appalachian Mountains. But things immediately feel off once she gets there. She begins having strange visions that remind her of her father, and she begins seeing a strange shadowy creature. The camp’s therapy staff also seems suspicious, especially when girls begin to disappear. As the visions get more intense, and Penny discovers that other girls are having the same issues, she realizes she is going to have to figure out what’s going on at Camp Whitewood if she’s going to make it out alive.
This book is told from the point of view of Penny, but there are chapters interspersed throughout the book that tell the story of each of the campers.
I normally love a good atmospheric slasher, so this book really seemed right up my alley when I read the description. And it really does deliver on the horror aspects as well as the Gothic atmosphere and suspenseful tension. I never would’ve guessed the ending to this book and where it was going. In these aspects, this book was a real winner.
Anyone looking for those types of raw aspects will greatly enjoy this book.
The things that I struggled with a little bit were the long, muddled haunting scenes with the monster that seemed to combine so many stories and so many aspects of the story that it made it confusing for me. It was hard to keep everything straight when so many different elements were put into play at the same time. Same thing when we were put right into the middle of things at the start of the book with Penny and her intrusive thoughts, and how she was on her way to Camp Whitewood. It sort of startled me because there was no explanation for what was happening. It was just happening and that kind of rattled me a little bit.
But overall, this was a solid teen slasher book that was high on suspense and atmosphere and really put you in the middle of a troubled camp and invest you in the situation of these girls. I was totally enthralled and wanted to know what happened to them, and read to the end, wanting to know what was going to happen and the solution to the central mystery of the story, which, as I said before, I did not see coming.
I would definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a good haunting camp story.
I would also give this author another read because the story was highly inventive, and atmosphere and suspense are definitely key elements to a story!
October 3, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐
THE DARKNESS GREETED HER by Christina Ferko (Feb 3, 2026)
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the earc
Wanting to get a handle on her OCD after her father's death---and to help stop his voice in her head---Penny agrees to spend the summer at Camp Whitewood. There, everything seems normal...then she starts seeing things. When the girls go missing and then wound up dead, Penny realizes it's not in her head. Penny teams up with the remaining girls in a fight to stay alive.
THE DARKNESS GREETED HER is a YA m*rder mystery that delves into the mind with hallucinations, character flashbacks, and, of course, d*ad b*dies. This book did hook me from the beginning, but then there was a time where it let up a bit, before hooking me again when Penny's hallucinations amped up, and when the reality that there was a seriously something wrong.
This is a creepy book with the darkness...the monster. It is confusing with everything going on with the hallucinations and the missing even though that is what makes the book interesting. The reason being: you don't know what's real and what isn't.
One thing about this that was lacking was the attention to the other characters besides Penny. I feel like they deserved more screen time per se, especially because they had flashback chapters just for them. I loved the insight, but it almost felt unnecessary when they didn't seem to have a big enough role. My opinion on this, however, did change toward the end when everyone seemed necessary in their own way (iykyk).
THE DARKNESS GREETED HER is gory, it's very different than a lot of the thrillers where people go to get therapy in the woods---going into this I thought it would be more like a few of those YA books with that plot, and I'm glad it wasn't. It does have a few surprises, which I thought was great in a book where I wasn't sure what was going on---much like the characters.
THE DARKNESS GREETED HER is thrilling, unique, and utterly weird. If you're looking for horror mixed with mystery and monsters, this is for you.
THE DARKNESS GREETED HER by Christina Ferko (Feb 3, 2026)
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the earc
Wanting to get a handle on her OCD after her father's death---and to help stop his voice in her head---Penny agrees to spend the summer at Camp Whitewood. There, everything seems normal...then she starts seeing things. When the girls go missing and then wound up dead, Penny realizes it's not in her head. Penny teams up with the remaining girls in a fight to stay alive.
THE DARKNESS GREETED HER is a YA m*rder mystery that delves into the mind with hallucinations, character flashbacks, and, of course, d*ad b*dies. This book did hook me from the beginning, but then there was a time where it let up a bit, before hooking me again when Penny's hallucinations amped up, and when the reality that there was a seriously something wrong.
This is a creepy book with the darkness...the monster. It is confusing with everything going on with the hallucinations and the missing even though that is what makes the book interesting. The reason being: you don't know what's real and what isn't.
One thing about this that was lacking was the attention to the other characters besides Penny. I feel like they deserved more screen time per se, especially because they had flashback chapters just for them. I loved the insight, but it almost felt unnecessary when they didn't seem to have a big enough role. My opinion on this, however, did change toward the end when everyone seemed necessary in their own way (iykyk).
THE DARKNESS GREETED HER is gory, it's very different than a lot of the thrillers where people go to get therapy in the woods---going into this I thought it would be more like a few of those YA books with that plot, and I'm glad it wasn't. It does have a few surprises, which I thought was great in a book where I wasn't sure what was going on---much like the characters.
THE DARKNESS GREETED HER is thrilling, unique, and utterly weird. If you're looking for horror mixed with mystery and monsters, this is for you.
February 5, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and SOUREBOOKS Fire| Sourcebooks Fire as well as the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
#NetGalley #SOURCEBOOKSFire #TheDarknessGreetedHer #ChristinaFerko #Horror #Fiction #BookReviews
Title: The Darkness Greeted Her
Author: Christina Ferko
Format: eBook
Publisher: SOURCEBOOKS Fire| Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: February 3, 2026
Rating: 4 Stars
Themes: Trauma, grief, healing, mental illness, summer camp
Trigger Warnings: PTSD, gore, violence, murder, paranormal, psychiatric care, domestic abuse, alcohol abuse, camping, stalking, OCD, home invasion, talk of suicide
The Darkness Greeted Her was a decent read and a lovely representation of PTSD and its effect on a person’s life. Penny has spent her life in fear of her alcoholic, abusive father. Now that he’s dead, she focuses on healing her psyche. When it proves more difficult than originally thought, Penny's mother sends her to a summer camp that focuses on healing young women with difficult mental issues through intensive therapy and a variety of activities. When she gets there, she has no trouble making friends, but something seems wrong. She keeps seeing very disturbing images. Is she getting worse or is something wrong with this camp?
Each character was well-established and believable. I really enjoyed the chapters detailing the background of each girl which were then tied together by the end. The writing was very atmospheric. It had that creepy summer camp vibe the whole way through, greatly enhanced by the Appalachian folklore that the author wove in to enrich the atmosphere.
It did feel like the book was a little longer than it needed to be. While I have no complaints about the story itself, a little less repetition would definitely have helped.
All in all, this was a fun and creepy trip into summer camp horror and is great for fans of movies such as Jeepers Creepers and Antlers.
#NetGalley #SOURCEBOOKSFire #TheDarknessGreetedHer #ChristinaFerko #Horror #Fiction #BookReviews
Title: The Darkness Greeted Her
Author: Christina Ferko
Format: eBook
Publisher: SOURCEBOOKS Fire| Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: February 3, 2026
Rating: 4 Stars
Themes: Trauma, grief, healing, mental illness, summer camp
Trigger Warnings: PTSD, gore, violence, murder, paranormal, psychiatric care, domestic abuse, alcohol abuse, camping, stalking, OCD, home invasion, talk of suicide
The Darkness Greeted Her was a decent read and a lovely representation of PTSD and its effect on a person’s life. Penny has spent her life in fear of her alcoholic, abusive father. Now that he’s dead, she focuses on healing her psyche. When it proves more difficult than originally thought, Penny's mother sends her to a summer camp that focuses on healing young women with difficult mental issues through intensive therapy and a variety of activities. When she gets there, she has no trouble making friends, but something seems wrong. She keeps seeing very disturbing images. Is she getting worse or is something wrong with this camp?
Each character was well-established and believable. I really enjoyed the chapters detailing the background of each girl which were then tied together by the end. The writing was very atmospheric. It had that creepy summer camp vibe the whole way through, greatly enhanced by the Appalachian folklore that the author wove in to enrich the atmosphere.
It did feel like the book was a little longer than it needed to be. While I have no complaints about the story itself, a little less repetition would definitely have helped.
All in all, this was a fun and creepy trip into summer camp horror and is great for fans of movies such as Jeepers Creepers and Antlers.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
When Penelope “Penny” Davidson (white, queer) can no longer live her life without constantly worrying that her “Harm OCD intrusive thoughts” (Ferko’s phrasing) will turn her into her abusive father, she decides to attend Camp Whitewood, a therapeutic summer camp. But something sinister lurks in the forest, and Penny and the other girls soon realize that Whitewood is not a safe haven.
This is an incredibly atmospheric psychological thriller. Ferko does an excellent job of isolating the teens almost right away - in a secluded location with a strict no cell phones policy - and then seals the deal with a narrator who’s not entirely sure if she can separate reality from fiction. Ferko’s misdirects will keep readers guessing; every time Penny and the others think they have a grasp on what’s happening, something new will change their course. Thriller and suspense readers will appreciate the escalating tension and pacing as the girls begin to go missing. About halfway through, the book shifts to survivor horror as Penny discovers the missing girls’ decaying and dismembered bodies. Ferko’s imagery is vivid and truly horrific.
We also get a little insight into the trauma that brought each girl to the camp in the first place. While not all of the girls have a history of abuse like Penny, each has experienced something that continues to cause them fear and anxiety.. This ties them all together but also, for some, ends up being their downfall.
Additionally, there is some nice sapphic representation in this book, as Penny develops a crush on one of the other campers and is able to find the support she needs to push past her intrusive thoughts through the relationship she builds. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
This is an incredibly atmospheric psychological thriller. Ferko does an excellent job of isolating the teens almost right away - in a secluded location with a strict no cell phones policy - and then seals the deal with a narrator who’s not entirely sure if she can separate reality from fiction. Ferko’s misdirects will keep readers guessing; every time Penny and the others think they have a grasp on what’s happening, something new will change their course. Thriller and suspense readers will appreciate the escalating tension and pacing as the girls begin to go missing. About halfway through, the book shifts to survivor horror as Penny discovers the missing girls’ decaying and dismembered bodies. Ferko’s imagery is vivid and truly horrific.
We also get a little insight into the trauma that brought each girl to the camp in the first place. While not all of the girls have a history of abuse like Penny, each has experienced something that continues to cause them fear and anxiety.. This ties them all together but also, for some, ends up being their downfall.
Additionally, there is some nice sapphic representation in this book, as Penny develops a crush on one of the other campers and is able to find the support she needs to push past her intrusive thoughts through the relationship she builds. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The Darkness Greeted Her is a camp-slasher meets supernatural-psych-ward story where one’s trauma manifests as a demonic entity. As the readers, we are taken through the story’s main character’s perspective, finding ourselves as bewildered and alarmed as she is by the haunting visions experienced at the therapeutic camp she is attending. Ferko does a wonderful job of showcasing a well-researched disorder, not only in Penny’s actions, but thought processes. Penny’s mistrust in herself builds dread to a fever pitch, especially in the first half of the book, urging the reader to speculate as to what is real and what is a result of Penny’s OCD and intrusive thoughts. This portrayal leaves the reader questioning whether or not Penny can be trusted, just as Penny cannot trust herself. It had me hooked and unsettled.
The Appalachian setting marries well with the emotional toil of isolation the girls feel as a result of their trauma. Due to word count parameters expectations for YA and debut novels, I feel the author was restrained in giving each girl at the camp the page time she deserved. However, Ferko wisely remedies this with doses of their backstories that lead to the girls’ attendance. These glimpses into the past allowed me to sympathize with their mindsets and invest in them as characters who must overcome and survive both mental and physical circumstances.
Don’t be fooled with this being a YA horror. The author pulls no punches, conjuring imagery I don’t think will leave my mind for quite some time. The Darkness Greeted Her serves a healthy dose of dread and horror while tackling the reality of childhood trauma. Yet, in the end we are left with both acceptance and hope—a life created despite one’s past. A life able to bring down walls and conquer demons.
The Appalachian setting marries well with the emotional toil of isolation the girls feel as a result of their trauma. Due to word count parameters expectations for YA and debut novels, I feel the author was restrained in giving each girl at the camp the page time she deserved. However, Ferko wisely remedies this with doses of their backstories that lead to the girls’ attendance. These glimpses into the past allowed me to sympathize with their mindsets and invest in them as characters who must overcome and survive both mental and physical circumstances.
Don’t be fooled with this being a YA horror. The author pulls no punches, conjuring imagery I don’t think will leave my mind for quite some time. The Darkness Greeted Her serves a healthy dose of dread and horror while tackling the reality of childhood trauma. Yet, in the end we are left with both acceptance and hope—a life created despite one’s past. A life able to bring down walls and conquer demons.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 rounded up to 4.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I randomly came across this book while browsing the horror section and was intrigued by the cover and the fact that it was described as a mix between Yellowjackets and Smile, so I knew I had to give it a shot. Before reading this book, I would advise looking at the trigger warnings. While this is a young adult horror, it deals with a lot of heavy themes that might be difficult for some readers.
One of the most unique aspects of this story is the exploration of Harm OCD. Having never read a book that deals with this specific form of OCD, I found the struggle of the protagonist to be one of the most interesting elements of the plot. It added a layer of tension you don't see in other horror novels. I also think the Appalachian setting was an interesting backdrop that helped to add to the tension and unease.
The book does feel a bit slow in some spots and takes a while to get going. There are flashback scenes for each of the characters from when they were younger; while these helped me understand their individual traumas and internal struggles, there were so many characters to get through that I felt it slowed down the momentum of the main story. I also noticed a few writing and grammatical errors throughout that affected the overall pacing, such as missing words and one instance where a female character was referred to as "Mr."
Because the mental health representation was so unique and the atmosphere was so good, I'm rounding my 3.5 up to a 4. The Darkness Greeted Her is a solid horror novel, and if you enjoy psychological folk horror and deep character studies, I think you'll really like this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I randomly came across this book while browsing the horror section and was intrigued by the cover and the fact that it was described as a mix between Yellowjackets and Smile, so I knew I had to give it a shot. Before reading this book, I would advise looking at the trigger warnings. While this is a young adult horror, it deals with a lot of heavy themes that might be difficult for some readers.
One of the most unique aspects of this story is the exploration of Harm OCD. Having never read a book that deals with this specific form of OCD, I found the struggle of the protagonist to be one of the most interesting elements of the plot. It added a layer of tension you don't see in other horror novels. I also think the Appalachian setting was an interesting backdrop that helped to add to the tension and unease.
The book does feel a bit slow in some spots and takes a while to get going. There are flashback scenes for each of the characters from when they were younger; while these helped me understand their individual traumas and internal struggles, there were so many characters to get through that I felt it slowed down the momentum of the main story. I also noticed a few writing and grammatical errors throughout that affected the overall pacing, such as missing words and one instance where a female character was referred to as "Mr."
Because the mental health representation was so unique and the atmosphere was so good, I'm rounding my 3.5 up to a 4. The Darkness Greeted Her is a solid horror novel, and if you enjoy psychological folk horror and deep character studies, I think you'll really like this one.
September 26, 2025
The monster in this book deserves all the stars. It’s creepy, it’s described vividly, it keeps you on the edge of your seat, and most of all, it really genuinely feels like something that could possibly exist in this setting. If this book focused more on the monster and less on all the girls at the camp, this book would’ve been a knock out of the park for me.
The atmosphere that the setting of this book creates is also remarkable. I loved how the location and isolation played into the paranoia not only of the characters, but of the readers as well. You don’t know what’s real, what could be watching you, or what is simply all in your head.
That’s about where my like of this book ends. I think the OCD aspect felt realistic, especially because everyone’s OCD is different and you never know how it impacts someone else. But the characters themselves felt lackluster for me. I didn’t really connect with the majority of them, and I felt like stories might have been rushed a bit and would’ve honestly just been better to not be included. I also think we would’ve done better with potentially less characters receiving their own spotlight because it both took away from the horror aspect while also leaving you a bit lost when it comes to motivations.
I don’t regret reading this book, but I would’ve loved to have seen it done differently with potentially a smaller cast of characters and more of a focus on where we are and what is happening. than who we are.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The atmosphere that the setting of this book creates is also remarkable. I loved how the location and isolation played into the paranoia not only of the characters, but of the readers as well. You don’t know what’s real, what could be watching you, or what is simply all in your head.
That’s about where my like of this book ends. I think the OCD aspect felt realistic, especially because everyone’s OCD is different and you never know how it impacts someone else. But the characters themselves felt lackluster for me. I didn’t really connect with the majority of them, and I felt like stories might have been rushed a bit and would’ve honestly just been better to not be included. I also think we would’ve done better with potentially less characters receiving their own spotlight because it both took away from the horror aspect while also leaving you a bit lost when it comes to motivations.
I don’t regret reading this book, but I would’ve loved to have seen it done differently with potentially a smaller cast of characters and more of a focus on where we are and what is happening. than who we are.
Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2025
The Darkness Greeted Her is the kind of gothic, sapphic horror that slips under your skin and lingers. Christina Ferko crafts a story steeped in dread and emotional tension, blending eerie atmosphere with a deeply personal unraveling that keeps you hooked from the first page.
The setting is one of the book’s greatest strengths—isolated, claustrophobic, and tinged with the uncanny. Ferko uses darkness not just as a backdrop but as a force in the story, a constant presence that shapes the protagonist’s fear, perception, and vulnerability. It creates a reading experience that feels foggy and immersive in the best possible way.
The protagonist’s internal journey is gripping. She’s raw and flawed, and her unraveling feels both frightening and tragically human. Ferko balances psychological tension with genuine emotion, allowing the character’s trauma and confusion to drive the story without ever feeling melodramatic.
The plot unfurls at a deliberate pace, sometimes lingering a bit longer than necessary in introspective moments, but the payoff is worth it. The twists are subtle rather than explosive, landing with a creeping sense of realization. By the end, the story feels complete, eerie, and satisfying.
Overall, a chilling, atmospheric horror with a strong emotional core. Perfect for readers who love stories that blur the line between psychological darkness and the supernatural, and who appreciate a slow-building sense of dread that lasts long after the final page.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the eARC!
The setting is one of the book’s greatest strengths—isolated, claustrophobic, and tinged with the uncanny. Ferko uses darkness not just as a backdrop but as a force in the story, a constant presence that shapes the protagonist’s fear, perception, and vulnerability. It creates a reading experience that feels foggy and immersive in the best possible way.
The protagonist’s internal journey is gripping. She’s raw and flawed, and her unraveling feels both frightening and tragically human. Ferko balances psychological tension with genuine emotion, allowing the character’s trauma and confusion to drive the story without ever feeling melodramatic.
The plot unfurls at a deliberate pace, sometimes lingering a bit longer than necessary in introspective moments, but the payoff is worth it. The twists are subtle rather than explosive, landing with a creeping sense of realization. By the end, the story feels complete, eerie, and satisfying.
Overall, a chilling, atmospheric horror with a strong emotional core. Perfect for readers who love stories that blur the line between psychological darkness and the supernatural, and who appreciate a slow-building sense of dread that lasts long after the final page.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the eARC!
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