What do you think?
Rate this book
Warning Signs
You can look for danger. And danger can look for you.
There’s something out there in the darkness.
By morning, bones lie in the snow, picked clean.
Zach knows the moods of the mountains – his mother taught him before she was gone. His father and the other men on the ski weekend think they know better though.
Drinking and boasting, they laugh in the face of the icy conditions.
But Zach understands what danger looks like. Can he survive the wilderness, and all the monsters within it?
There’s something out there in the darkness.
By morning, bones lie in the snow, picked clean.
Zach knows the moods of the mountains – his mother taught him before she was gone. His father and the other men on the ski weekend think they know better though.
Drinking and boasting, they laugh in the face of the icy conditions.
But Zach understands what danger looks like. Can he survive the wilderness, and all the monsters within it?
336 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 12, 2026
7 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
February 16, 2026
2.5*
Twelve-year-old Zach has plenty of experience navigating the turbulent wilds of the Colorado backcountry but remains a novice at managing his father's stormy moods and unpredictable nature. When a father-son skiing trip is organised, Zach hesitates but is willing to play his part to please his father, Bram. However, this year, something feels off on the mountain: the snow seems unstable, and a spate of animal carcasses stripped of flesh makes Zach feel uneasy and frightened. When push comes to shove, Zach may have no choice but to save himself and descend the mountain, but does he have the skills necessary to survive?
When I picked up Nightwatching in 2024, I was amazed by the quality of the writing and the compelling nature of the novel. So, two years later, when I heard that Sierra would be releasing her second book, Warning Signs, I pre-ordered it instantly without hesitation. However, sadly, upon its release, I am left ruminating over my thoughts for a story I found dull, lacking impact, and missing that special something that made Nightwatching one of my favourite novels.
Nightwatching was somewhat of a slow burn, but Warning Signs is hampered by a poor narrative structure and a lack of content in at least the first 40% of the novel. It's slow, with little happening to engage the reader, and I found myself losing interest while waiting for something to happen. The rest of the novel has its moments, but overall, I found the plot clunky and somewhat disorienting. There's so much emphasis on this 'creature' in the mountains, but it's a narrative device that is barely utilised and goes nowhere, which is so disappointing. While some moments in Warning Signs are genuinely unsettling and the imagery is immersive and powerful throughout, I found it tiring and lacking in substance. Maybe I put Tracy Sierra on an elevated platform after loving Nightwatching, but Warning Signs for me was somewhat of a miss.
Twelve-year-old Zach has plenty of experience navigating the turbulent wilds of the Colorado backcountry but remains a novice at managing his father's stormy moods and unpredictable nature. When a father-son skiing trip is organised, Zach hesitates but is willing to play his part to please his father, Bram. However, this year, something feels off on the mountain: the snow seems unstable, and a spate of animal carcasses stripped of flesh makes Zach feel uneasy and frightened. When push comes to shove, Zach may have no choice but to save himself and descend the mountain, but does he have the skills necessary to survive?
When I picked up Nightwatching in 2024, I was amazed by the quality of the writing and the compelling nature of the novel. So, two years later, when I heard that Sierra would be releasing her second book, Warning Signs, I pre-ordered it instantly without hesitation. However, sadly, upon its release, I am left ruminating over my thoughts for a story I found dull, lacking impact, and missing that special something that made Nightwatching one of my favourite novels.
Nightwatching was somewhat of a slow burn, but Warning Signs is hampered by a poor narrative structure and a lack of content in at least the first 40% of the novel. It's slow, with little happening to engage the reader, and I found myself losing interest while waiting for something to happen. The rest of the novel has its moments, but overall, I found the plot clunky and somewhat disorienting. There's so much emphasis on this 'creature' in the mountains, but it's a narrative device that is barely utilised and goes nowhere, which is so disappointing. While some moments in Warning Signs are genuinely unsettling and the imagery is immersive and powerful throughout, I found it tiring and lacking in substance. Maybe I put Tracy Sierra on an elevated platform after loving Nightwatching, but Warning Signs for me was somewhat of a miss.
Displaying 1 of 1 review