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She Waits Where Shadows Gather
Parents should pass down stories, not spirits…
Avery and Carlos Tam have built their lives on logic, not legends. Carlos, the host of a hit reality show that exposes paranormal hoaxes, has made a name disproving the supernatural.
But when they travel to his ancestral home in the Philippines, darkness clings to every corner. The mirrors are shrouded. The housekeeper won't stay in the house alone. And no one will speak of the tragedies the family has seen.
Then a brutal car crash leaves Carlos trapped in his own body—silent, helpless, and utterly vulnerable. As Avery tends to him, the house begins to stir. It watches. It listens. And it speaks—in a voice only Carlos can hear—offering a twisted kind of comfort.
And as the lies buried by Carlos and his family begin to surface, Avery must confront the if the past won't rest, their future may never begin.
Some inherit memories. Others inherit monsters.
Avery and Carlos Tam have built their lives on logic, not legends. Carlos, the host of a hit reality show that exposes paranormal hoaxes, has made a name disproving the supernatural.
But when they travel to his ancestral home in the Philippines, darkness clings to every corner. The mirrors are shrouded. The housekeeper won't stay in the house alone. And no one will speak of the tragedies the family has seen.
Then a brutal car crash leaves Carlos trapped in his own body—silent, helpless, and utterly vulnerable. As Avery tends to him, the house begins to stir. It watches. It listens. And it speaks—in a voice only Carlos can hear—offering a twisted kind of comfort.
And as the lies buried by Carlos and his family begin to surface, Avery must confront the if the past won't rest, their future may never begin.
Some inherit memories. Others inherit monsters.
304 pages, Paperback
First published May 5, 2026
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Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️ 3.75 ⭐️ The house is alive and its hungry for answers.
In short, She Waits Where Shadows Gather is a story about a married couple, Avery and Carlos, who travel to Manilla, Philippines to help Carlos's family sell an old family home. Salcedo House is NOT your typical vacation-house. Everything about this house feels wrong: servants refuse to stay after dark and family members don't like talking about it. The house is overall very creepy, pitch black and silent and Avery has a sensation that she is being watched. Carlos, a TV host of a show that exposes paranormal frauds, is completely skeptical and dismissive of Avery's unease. Shortly after, Carlos has an accident that leaves him completely handicapped. As Avery struggles to care for him, Carlos begins to experience supernatural encounters that feel very paranormal. Everything becomes intensified and the horrors begin to feel personal for both Avery and Carlos especially.
Filipino folklore mixed in with a haunted house is officially going down as one of my most favorite mythologies/lore woven into a classic haunted house framework. I was kind of creeped out and feeling the dread. The eerie atmosphere steadily mounted a sense of unease in me and I must say the haunted vibes were immaculate.
Carlos and Avery's relationship was not to my liking. From the very start, we know that their marriage is troubled. Their marriage is full of resentment from unmet expectations. Avery is struggling to conceive and going through infertility. She doesn't want to waste time and wants to begin IVF. Carlos is not on the same page as her. In fact, he is very dismissive, never wanted to have children and is presented as difficult to like from the get-go. He's frustrating, he's arrogant and emotionally reserved, always minimizing Avery's feelings. He honestly seemed like a loser. While they appear to be devoted to each other, they deeply resent one another. Their relationship frustrated me but I understand why the author, Michelle Tang, used their trouble marriage to explore themes of generational trauma, grief and control. The haunted house acted like a mirror to their troubled marriage, bringing their unresolved issues to the surface. At times, their troubles overshadowed the folklore, leaving very little room to further the development of other elements.
Overall, this was good and the novel questions how much of ourselves is given up during marriage and whether love can survive when truths begin to come out.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and the author, Michelle Tang for the early eARC!
Publication date: May 5, 2026
In short, She Waits Where Shadows Gather is a story about a married couple, Avery and Carlos, who travel to Manilla, Philippines to help Carlos's family sell an old family home. Salcedo House is NOT your typical vacation-house. Everything about this house feels wrong: servants refuse to stay after dark and family members don't like talking about it. The house is overall very creepy, pitch black and silent and Avery has a sensation that she is being watched. Carlos, a TV host of a show that exposes paranormal frauds, is completely skeptical and dismissive of Avery's unease. Shortly after, Carlos has an accident that leaves him completely handicapped. As Avery struggles to care for him, Carlos begins to experience supernatural encounters that feel very paranormal. Everything becomes intensified and the horrors begin to feel personal for both Avery and Carlos especially.
Filipino folklore mixed in with a haunted house is officially going down as one of my most favorite mythologies/lore woven into a classic haunted house framework. I was kind of creeped out and feeling the dread. The eerie atmosphere steadily mounted a sense of unease in me and I must say the haunted vibes were immaculate.
Carlos and Avery's relationship was not to my liking. From the very start, we know that their marriage is troubled. Their marriage is full of resentment from unmet expectations. Avery is struggling to conceive and going through infertility. She doesn't want to waste time and wants to begin IVF. Carlos is not on the same page as her. In fact, he is very dismissive, never wanted to have children and is presented as difficult to like from the get-go. He's frustrating, he's arrogant and emotionally reserved, always minimizing Avery's feelings. He honestly seemed like a loser. While they appear to be devoted to each other, they deeply resent one another. Their relationship frustrated me but I understand why the author, Michelle Tang, used their trouble marriage to explore themes of generational trauma, grief and control. The haunted house acted like a mirror to their troubled marriage, bringing their unresolved issues to the surface. At times, their troubles overshadowed the folklore, leaving very little room to further the development of other elements.
Overall, this was good and the novel questions how much of ourselves is given up during marriage and whether love can survive when truths begin to come out.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and the author, Michelle Tang for the early eARC!
Publication date: May 5, 2026
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2026
Carlos returns home when his relatives request his help with haunting in their family home. He decides to bring his wife with him in hopes of also repairing their relationship.
This story focuses mostly on their toxic marriage. Avery’s desire for a baby and Carlos’s contempt for her feelings which ends up exposing how incompatible they truly are.
Shortly after moving to the house, Carlos is injured in an accident and left to sulk in his bitterness. While Avery is forced to deal with the haunting presence alone.
While the premise is strong, the ghost lore feels very underdeveloped, turning the story into more of a strange marital drama with paranormal elements. With a larger focus on the family history, it could have been a truly effective gothic horror but as it stands, the result is just okay.
Thank you to the publisher for the eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This story focuses mostly on their toxic marriage. Avery’s desire for a baby and Carlos’s contempt for her feelings which ends up exposing how incompatible they truly are.
Shortly after moving to the house, Carlos is injured in an accident and left to sulk in his bitterness. While Avery is forced to deal with the haunting presence alone.
While the premise is strong, the ghost lore feels very underdeveloped, turning the story into more of a strange marital drama with paranormal elements. With a larger focus on the family history, it could have been a truly effective gothic horror but as it stands, the result is just okay.
Thank you to the publisher for the eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 27, 2026
3/3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Paperback format 📚
I had to sit with this review/rating for a bit and enjoyed discussing it with my bookclub.
The atmosphere and supernatural elements in She Waits Where Shadows Gather is fantastic.
I think where I struggled with was the anticlimactic ending, some of the characters decisions, and a major plot point that I couldn't wrap my head around.
This was still an eerie book that shines new Philippine mythology to the classic paranormal/gothic genre and I loved that. We need more folklore like this in horror!
Paperback format 📚
I had to sit with this review/rating for a bit and enjoyed discussing it with my bookclub.
The atmosphere and supernatural elements in She Waits Where Shadows Gather is fantastic.
I think where I struggled with was the anticlimactic ending, some of the characters decisions, and a major plot point that I couldn't wrap my head around.
This was still an eerie book that shines new Philippine mythology to the classic paranormal/gothic genre and I loved that. We need more folklore like this in horror!
December 9, 2025
I really love it when I read a book that has very little fanfare, and it blows me away. This was definitely the case with Michelle Tang’s debut novel, She Waits Where Shadows Gather.
Avery and Carlos’s marriage is on the rocks. Avery badly wants a child, whereas narcissistic Carlos cannot deal with having to share his wife’s affections with anyone else. The couple moves to Carlos’s childhood home in the Philippines. Carlos, a TV paranormal investigator, has some dark secrets he wants to investigate in his family home.
Understandably, Avery isn’t too keen on the house. The house staff won’t go there alone, and several mirrors are dramatically covered. But things get infinitely worse when Carlos is involved in a life-changing accident.
One of my favorite tropes is “paranormal investigator gets more than they bargained for”, and this book checked that box. But that was just a minor part of my enjoyment of this novel. Avery is an incredibly relatable character; desperate for happiness, incredibly isolated, but strong. On the opposite side, Carlos is so repulsive, he is strangely engaging.
There are some genuinely scary moments in this novel. The house at the center of the novel has shadows lurking in every corner, but when Avery ventures up to the attic, I had to switch a few lights on. I also enjoyed learning a little about Philippine mythology and folklore.
A great combo of a compelling human narrative and supernatural tension.
Avery and Carlos’s marriage is on the rocks. Avery badly wants a child, whereas narcissistic Carlos cannot deal with having to share his wife’s affections with anyone else. The couple moves to Carlos’s childhood home in the Philippines. Carlos, a TV paranormal investigator, has some dark secrets he wants to investigate in his family home.
Understandably, Avery isn’t too keen on the house. The house staff won’t go there alone, and several mirrors are dramatically covered. But things get infinitely worse when Carlos is involved in a life-changing accident.
One of my favorite tropes is “paranormal investigator gets more than they bargained for”, and this book checked that box. But that was just a minor part of my enjoyment of this novel. Avery is an incredibly relatable character; desperate for happiness, incredibly isolated, but strong. On the opposite side, Carlos is so repulsive, he is strangely engaging.
There are some genuinely scary moments in this novel. The house at the center of the novel has shadows lurking in every corner, but when Avery ventures up to the attic, I had to switch a few lights on. I also enjoyed learning a little about Philippine mythology and folklore.
A great combo of a compelling human narrative and supernatural tension.
May 13, 2026
1 ★ — She Waits Where Shadows Gather blends Filipino folklore with the traditional haunted house setting popularized by Shirley Jackson's Haunting of Hill House, but instead it spends a lot of time creating a domestic melodrama surrounding a married couple, Avery and Carlos, who, turns out, are quite unhappy together.
From its very beginning, the book relies on uninspired and repetitive metaphors. Avery's jet lag is described as a "gremlin" hanging onto her shoulders. In the span of just a few pages, this imagery keeps coming back:
This is where the gothic atmosphere dissipated for me. You could even say this whole metaphor was a gremlin I couldn't shake off as I kept reading. Even so, the book reminded me that "the house's energy was still heavy as hell, though", at which point I had to laugh and give up on the promise of a Hill House vibe.
Unfortunately, the gremlin is hardly an isolated example. Throughout the novel, emotions and realizations are constantly transformed into physical sensations — "icy fingers of disbelief" crawl between shoulder blades, apprehension is described as "squatting behind her sternum" — which I found distracting as I kept on reading.
For a horror novel, the story is incredibly slow and lacking tension. We spend so much time focused on Carlos and Avery's failed marriage, his rather insignificant ghost hunting show, and her desperate, at times obsessive, desire to have children. These are both elements which have driven the two characters to hate each other. Carlos only gets more exhausting as the narrative moves forward: whether he's sizing up a priest based on how well he might perform on camera compared to him, or internally congratulating himself for manipulating and berating his wife, he remains relentlessly self-absorbed.
, his internal monologues are driven by bitter resentment toward Avery:
The supernatural elements are diluted by the overwhelming focus on Avery's fertility struggles. Roughly half the narrative is consumed by exhaustive, repetitive discussions and internal monologues about her intense desire to conceive. We spend page after page reading about ovulation windows and emotional cycles,
or about Avery's shame for not being a mother,
The problem isn't that Avery's fertility struggles are present in the novel; in theory, they should complement its themes of family and legacy. Rather, the issue is that the narrative returns to them so frequently that they overshadow everything else, including the horror.
Neither the domestic drama nor the tentative supernatural plot were compelling enough to carry the novel for me. While readers primarily interested in family conflicts and marriage troubles may find more to appreciate here, those hoping for a tense haunted house novel may be left disappointed.
Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.
From its very beginning, the book relies on uninspired and repetitive metaphors. Avery's jet lag is described as a "gremlin" hanging onto her shoulders. In the span of just a few pages, this imagery keeps coming back:
Fatigue was a gremlin waiting in every plane cabin, latching onto her as soon as she sat down and holding on for days.
...the gremlin gripping Avery's shoulders could not be shaken off.
...and the fatigue gremlin that had attached to her on the plane could be playing tricks on her senses.
This is where the gothic atmosphere dissipated for me. You could even say this whole metaphor was a gremlin I couldn't shake off as I kept reading. Even so, the book reminded me that "the house's energy was still heavy as hell, though", at which point I had to laugh and give up on the promise of a Hill House vibe.
Unfortunately, the gremlin is hardly an isolated example. Throughout the novel, emotions and realizations are constantly transformed into physical sensations — "icy fingers of disbelief" crawl between shoulder blades, apprehension is described as "squatting behind her sternum" — which I found distracting as I kept on reading.
For a horror novel, the story is incredibly slow and lacking tension. We spend so much time focused on Carlos and Avery's failed marriage, his rather insignificant ghost hunting show, and her desperate, at times obsessive, desire to have children. These are both elements which have driven the two characters to hate each other. Carlos only gets more exhausting as the narrative moves forward: whether he's sizing up a priest based on how well he might perform on camera compared to him, or internally congratulating himself for manipulating and berating his wife, he remains relentlessly self-absorbed.
, his internal monologues are driven by bitter resentment toward Avery:
He would behave himself, use her love for him, until he didn't need her anymore . . . To pretend he didn't despise her. That he still loved her, even. . . . Carlos took a deep breath and reached toward the newspaper again, using the impotent rage he held for his wife to fuel him.
The supernatural elements are diluted by the overwhelming focus on Avery's fertility struggles. Roughly half the narrative is consumed by exhaustive, repetitive discussions and internal monologues about her intense desire to conceive. We spend page after page reading about ovulation windows and emotional cycles,
Technically, she had a seventy-two hour window in which she could be fertile, but already her left ovary was spasming... Once the egg had left the ovary, they only had a day to fertilize it before it became nonviable.
or about Avery's shame for not being a mother,
Avery leaned forward to address the young woman perched on the chair. “Fatima, what is your experience with children?”
Carlos fought to keep his annoyance off his face.
“Oh, I love children.” The young woman’s eyes lit up. “How many do you have?”
Avery recoiled. She placed a protective hand against her stomach and hunched over, as if to hide its flatness. Carlos turned away from Avery’s rapid blinking; he fought the overwhelming urge to comfort her.
The problem isn't that Avery's fertility struggles are present in the novel; in theory, they should complement its themes of family and legacy. Rather, the issue is that the narrative returns to them so frequently that they overshadow everything else, including the horror.
Neither the domestic drama nor the tentative supernatural plot were compelling enough to carry the novel for me. While readers primarily interested in family conflicts and marriage troubles may find more to appreciate here, those hoping for a tense haunted house novel may be left disappointed.
Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with an ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.
July 18, 2026
huh. i don’t know what i was expecting, but boy i was underwhelmed. i have to admit the writing was good, but omg carlos got on my every last nerve!!
May 11, 2026
Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for providing me an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.
#SheWaitsWhereShadowsGather #NetGalley #ePub #ARC #ARCReview #horror #folklore #MichelleTang #hauntedhouse
💠RELEASE DATE: 5 May 2026
💠VIBES: Mike Flanigan's The Haunting of Hill House series, but with Filipino folklore.
💠QUOTE(S):
💠OVERALL THOUGHTS:
• Tang took her time to flesh out the characters into believable, complex people who felt real - enough to ellicit physiological reactions. As I read through Carlos' manipulative & arrogant perspective, I realized my jaw was clenched and my eyes were narrowed. I was seething. I hated Carlos with a passion, as if he had wronged a close friend of mine in real life.
• Beautiful imagery and incredible world-building. I've never been to the Philippines - not yet, anyways - but reading the descriptions made me feel like I temporarily transported there. And the atmosphere house? Creepy as fuck. We can all picture a dilapidated house whose creaks and groans may be from its age and state of disrepair; but, the way the darkness looms in neglected corners feels too watchful to not be something supernatural. Experiencing the house through Avery's eyes, and even through Carlos' eyes, was a slow-burn of dread. I knew something terrible was going to happen, but I didn't know when and I didn't know what.
• I... didn't really understand the climax. (No spoilers here; I'll be careful what I say.) It was sort of explained - why things happened the way they did - but the mechanics of it just didn't make sense to me. It didn't feel... warranted? Like, how could this happen narratively? It is possible I missed something, but it felt completely out of left field for me.
💠REVIEW SUMMARY: She Waits Where Shadows Gather is a haunted house horror novel that poignantly depicts unhealed grief and the deep roots of familial trauma. Although I did not understand the ending, I still enjoyed the book overall.
💠RECOMMEND?: Yes.
💠OVERALL RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
(4.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up)
#SheWaitsWhereShadowsGather #NetGalley #ePub #ARC #ARCReview #horror #folklore #MichelleTang #hauntedhouse
💠RELEASE DATE: 5 May 2026
💠VIBES: Mike Flanigan's The Haunting of Hill House series, but with Filipino folklore.
💠QUOTE(S):
The house transformed light. Whether it was the hue of the paint or the type of old glass in the windows, even the tropical sunlight beaming full blast into a room diluted into a wan yellow. It was the color of sickness, of urine-soaked sheets or jaundiced skin, and [Avery] could understand why the gullible might believe this place was haunted.
💠OVERALL THOUGHTS:
• Tang took her time to flesh out the characters into believable, complex people who felt real - enough to ellicit physiological reactions. As I read through Carlos' manipulative & arrogant perspective, I realized my jaw was clenched and my eyes were narrowed. I was seething. I hated Carlos with a passion, as if he had wronged a close friend of mine in real life.
• Beautiful imagery and incredible world-building. I've never been to the Philippines - not yet, anyways - but reading the descriptions made me feel like I temporarily transported there. And the atmosphere house? Creepy as fuck. We can all picture a dilapidated house whose creaks and groans may be from its age and state of disrepair; but, the way the darkness looms in neglected corners feels too watchful to not be something supernatural. Experiencing the house through Avery's eyes, and even through Carlos' eyes, was a slow-burn of dread. I knew something terrible was going to happen, but I didn't know when and I didn't know what.
• I... didn't really understand the climax. (No spoilers here; I'll be careful what I say.) It was sort of explained - why things happened the way they did - but the mechanics of it just didn't make sense to me. It didn't feel... warranted? Like, how could this happen narratively? It is possible I missed something, but it felt completely out of left field for me.
💠REVIEW SUMMARY: She Waits Where Shadows Gather is a haunted house horror novel that poignantly depicts unhealed grief and the deep roots of familial trauma. Although I did not understand the ending, I still enjoyed the book overall.
💠RECOMMEND?: Yes.
💠OVERALL RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
(4.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up)
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Review in the April 2026 issue of Library Journal
Three Words That Describe This Book: Spotlight on International horror lore, intense unease, dual points of view
Also-- troubled marriage, family secrets, haunted house, souls
Draft Review: Canadian spouses Avery and Carlos, both of Chinese-Filipino descent, arrive in Manila for an indefinite stay. Carlos is moving his popular show, disproving the supernatural, back to his family’s haunted manor house. Told from both Carlos and Avery’s perspectives, readers are aware from the start that there is unease about the move and the status of their relationship, but the house– its covered mirrors, phantom knockings in the night, and history of restless souls– makes itself heard immediately. After a home cleansing ceremony, Carlos is left bedridden by a car accident, triggering the release of generations of secrets, ghosts, and mortal danger forcing Carlos and Avery to fight for both their relationship and their lives. Filled with terrifying Filipino horror folklore, readers will enjoy uncovering a different culture of chills while being consumed by the drama unfolding in front of their eyes.
Verdict: A twisty and immersive haunted house story featuring sinister ghosts, who will use whatever fractures they can find in human relationships to gain a foothold in the mortal world like in The Villa, Once Beloved by Victor Manibo** and We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough.
This is a solid haunted house story where the danger is real, the ghosts are active, and the problems they bring to the humans are tangible.
The story focuses on the Canadian Chinese-Filipino couple Avery and Carlos as they are arriving in Manila. It is intensely uneasy from the start. Avery is on the POV and is talking about souls separating from their bodies when they travel long distances. Clearly she is nervous about moving to the Philippines. She has never lived there and her and her husband are also having some issues-- readers can tell but don't know.
Carlos has moved his popular internet show where he disproves supernatural happening back to his home where he hasn't lived for decades. His family is uneasy about the two of them living in the haunted family home.
The POV moves between the two as family secrets are slowly revealed. As Carlos is seriously injured (it's in the publisher description) and Avery must live in the house and work against the ghosts and Carlos' injuries.
The fact that Avery and Carlos love each other but there is something in their relationship that is causing problems. Readers think at first that it is Avery's struggles with infertility, but they both know it is deeper than that. When the very real world truth is revealed-- that allows for the horror aspects to also be fully exposed.
Readers will learn about some very cool monsters and ghosts from Filipino folklore. Also learn about the Chinese-Filipino community. And like all good haunted house stories set in a family villa-- watch the secrets and ghosts reveal themselves. And there are many restless souls in this house.
This is a great example of a satisfying horror story that shines a light on new (to western readers) horror traditions. It adds an extra layer of originality and enjoyment. Allowing the novel to be both familiar and new.
This is also a story where the 2 points of view telling are KEY. It is not just a narrative device, it adds to the story in key ways, ways that keep the readers as unsteady as the characters.
For fans of the growing body of Filipino Horror for fans of The Villa, Once Beloved by Manibo more so than The House of Monstrous Women by Fama (which is excellent but not a readalike beyond being Filipino-- do not fall for that but the way, not all white horror is the same so why would all Filipino horror be the same).
Also a haunted house story very much for fans of We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough. Like the Manibo-- all three of these haunted house stories have a troubled relationship at their core and very sinister, patient, long waiting ghosts trying to use the fractures in their relationships to get themselves a foothold in the real world.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Spotlight on International horror lore, intense unease, dual points of view
Also-- troubled marriage, family secrets, haunted house, souls
Draft Review: Canadian spouses Avery and Carlos, both of Chinese-Filipino descent, arrive in Manila for an indefinite stay. Carlos is moving his popular show, disproving the supernatural, back to his family’s haunted manor house. Told from both Carlos and Avery’s perspectives, readers are aware from the start that there is unease about the move and the status of their relationship, but the house– its covered mirrors, phantom knockings in the night, and history of restless souls– makes itself heard immediately. After a home cleansing ceremony, Carlos is left bedridden by a car accident, triggering the release of generations of secrets, ghosts, and mortal danger forcing Carlos and Avery to fight for both their relationship and their lives. Filled with terrifying Filipino horror folklore, readers will enjoy uncovering a different culture of chills while being consumed by the drama unfolding in front of their eyes.
Verdict: A twisty and immersive haunted house story featuring sinister ghosts, who will use whatever fractures they can find in human relationships to gain a foothold in the mortal world like in The Villa, Once Beloved by Victor Manibo** and We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough.
This is a solid haunted house story where the danger is real, the ghosts are active, and the problems they bring to the humans are tangible.
The story focuses on the Canadian Chinese-Filipino couple Avery and Carlos as they are arriving in Manila. It is intensely uneasy from the start. Avery is on the POV and is talking about souls separating from their bodies when they travel long distances. Clearly she is nervous about moving to the Philippines. She has never lived there and her and her husband are also having some issues-- readers can tell but don't know.
Carlos has moved his popular internet show where he disproves supernatural happening back to his home where he hasn't lived for decades. His family is uneasy about the two of them living in the haunted family home.
The POV moves between the two as family secrets are slowly revealed. As Carlos is seriously injured (it's in the publisher description) and Avery must live in the house and work against the ghosts and Carlos' injuries.
The fact that Avery and Carlos love each other but there is something in their relationship that is causing problems. Readers think at first that it is Avery's struggles with infertility, but they both know it is deeper than that. When the very real world truth is revealed-- that allows for the horror aspects to also be fully exposed.
Readers will learn about some very cool monsters and ghosts from Filipino folklore. Also learn about the Chinese-Filipino community. And like all good haunted house stories set in a family villa-- watch the secrets and ghosts reveal themselves. And there are many restless souls in this house.
This is a great example of a satisfying horror story that shines a light on new (to western readers) horror traditions. It adds an extra layer of originality and enjoyment. Allowing the novel to be both familiar and new.
This is also a story where the 2 points of view telling are KEY. It is not just a narrative device, it adds to the story in key ways, ways that keep the readers as unsteady as the characters.
For fans of the growing body of Filipino Horror for fans of The Villa, Once Beloved by Manibo more so than The House of Monstrous Women by Fama (which is excellent but not a readalike beyond being Filipino-- do not fall for that but the way, not all white horror is the same so why would all Filipino horror be the same).
Also a haunted house story very much for fans of We Live Here Now by Sarah Pinborough. Like the Manibo-- all three of these haunted house stories have a troubled relationship at their core and very sinister, patient, long waiting ghosts trying to use the fractures in their relationships to get themselves a foothold in the real world.
May 14, 2026
Thank you to Goodreads and the author for sending a review copy in exchange for a fair review. This book is a horror novel but it isn't gory. It builds slowly and is a fairly quick read. It is very well written and I found the story to be very entertaining. I am looking forward to more from this author. 4.25 🌟
May 29, 2026
Good lord. I have never in my life been so let down by a work of fiction. The premise was so promising- a haunted family home, unsettled spirits, skepticism meeting ancestral beliefs, etc, etc- but the writing was genuinely insufferable, the pacing was off, and the characterization was annoying as all get-out. I appreciate books about complicated and unlikeable characters, but they need to be actually complicated and actually well-written for it to work, and this was not that. Carlos was cartoonishly petty and self-absorbed and insufferable and the casual mentions of his childhood to explain why he was the way he was could make it remotely tolerable. Yes, I know it was because [spoiler]. Unfortunately, by the time that reveal comes around, I’ve spent so long hating his guts that I don’t give a single fuck. Audrey was also annoying and whiny, and though her motivations made more sense, they were not handled with the balance that would have made them believable or sympathetic. The writing was so painfully explanatory that I felt my brain cells dying as I read. Have you ever wanted to know exactly what the characters are thinking, narrated in the most elementary prose possible? Do you like writing that is so unsubtle you may as well be bashed over the head with a mallet? Me neither.
January 12, 2026
One of my absolute favourite book plots is paranormal investigators. I genuinely find it more exciting / suspenseful to read about than when on tv 😅
In this book Carlos is the paranormal investigator, he moves himself and Avery to his creepy family home. You know things are suss when all of the locals act weird around the house.
Carlos himself is a very dislikable character, so when he is injured in an accident it’s easy not to feel a lot of empathy for him. Except now they’re stuck in this house and things kick up a notch and get very unsettling very fast.
I enjoy a potentially haunted / possessed home.. safe to say I enjoyed this book!
In this book Carlos is the paranormal investigator, he moves himself and Avery to his creepy family home. You know things are suss when all of the locals act weird around the house.
Carlos himself is a very dislikable character, so when he is injured in an accident it’s easy not to feel a lot of empathy for him. Except now they’re stuck in this house and things kick up a notch and get very unsettling very fast.
I enjoy a potentially haunted / possessed home.. safe to say I enjoyed this book!
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November 26, 2025A big thank you to the publisher for an ARC of the book!!
SHE WAITS WHERE SHADOWS GATHER is a gothic novel reminiscent of Stephen King’s THE SHINING. Tang creates a haunted house lingering with generational ghosts in every corner, lies and unspoken secrets hidden in its threadbare walls, toxic and fragile bonds that rattle the floorboards, regret and revenge ravaging each room, with characters who desire to return to the past and who must learn how to grab hold of the courage to move forward.
SHE WAITS WHERE SHADOWS GATHER is a gothic novel reminiscent of Stephen King’s THE SHINING. Tang creates a haunted house lingering with generational ghosts in every corner, lies and unspoken secrets hidden in its threadbare walls, toxic and fragile bonds that rattle the floorboards, regret and revenge ravaging each room, with characters who desire to return to the past and who must learn how to grab hold of the courage to move forward.
Did Not Finish
June 23, 2026I’m so tired of the “let’s move into this haunted house and fix our marriage, but all we do is spend every chapter talking about how much we hate each other and how miserable we are” trope.
May 19, 2026
A unique, and at times creepy, ghosts/haunting story. It was interesting reading some of the Filipino folklore and superstitions, which helped the overall setting and mood. Not one of the best, but readable.
As always this is just my opinion.
You may have a different experience/point of view, with any book I review. Please judge for yourself.
*I gratefully received this book from the publisher and author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
As always this is just my opinion.
You may have a different experience/point of view, with any book I review. Please judge for yourself.
*I gratefully received this book from the publisher and author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
May 8, 2026
I have never had a book piss me off so much that I immediately posted an Instagram story about it and started reading excerpts out loud to my husband.
Boy. Where do I even begin.
I almost DNF’d this at 40%, but then I remembered I paid almost CA$30 for the physical copy, so unfortunately I persevered.
I was genuinely excited for a Chinese Southeast Asian story steeped in superstition and folklore. What I didn’t sign up for was being dragged back into the exact kind of Southeast Asian family dynamics that are ruled entirely by superstition and religion instead of common sense. As a Chinese Southeast Asian who shipped myself to Canada because of that very reason, this book unlocked a level of PTSD I was absolutely not prepared for, so… thanks for that.
The Filipino folklore and paranormal elements also felt painfully underexplained. For a horror novel, it somehow kept forgetting to actually be horrifying. It read more like a family telenovela with occasional ghosts lurking in the background.
And CARLOS.
What an absolute manchild. Narcissistic, misogynistic, useless beyond belief. Every single one of his chapters made me roll my eyes so hard I could feel a migraine coming on. He is the final boss of the stereotypical Asian mama’s boy whose entire existence depends on being adored and served because without that, he brings literally nothing to the table.
And that twist near the end? Come on now. At some point I genuinely had to ask myself whether this book was trying to cleanse a haunted house or cleanse a failing marriage?
I’ve never been this angry at a book before. Angry at the money I spent, the time I lost, and the trauma it managed to resurrect.
At this point, “generational trauma” deserves its own horror subgenre.
Not for me, fam.
Boy. Where do I even begin.
I almost DNF’d this at 40%, but then I remembered I paid almost CA$30 for the physical copy, so unfortunately I persevered.
I was genuinely excited for a Chinese Southeast Asian story steeped in superstition and folklore. What I didn’t sign up for was being dragged back into the exact kind of Southeast Asian family dynamics that are ruled entirely by superstition and religion instead of common sense. As a Chinese Southeast Asian who shipped myself to Canada because of that very reason, this book unlocked a level of PTSD I was absolutely not prepared for, so… thanks for that.
The Filipino folklore and paranormal elements also felt painfully underexplained. For a horror novel, it somehow kept forgetting to actually be horrifying. It read more like a family telenovela with occasional ghosts lurking in the background.
And CARLOS.
What an absolute manchild. Narcissistic, misogynistic, useless beyond belief. Every single one of his chapters made me roll my eyes so hard I could feel a migraine coming on. He is the final boss of the stereotypical Asian mama’s boy whose entire existence depends on being adored and served because without that, he brings literally nothing to the table.
And that twist near the end? Come on now. At some point I genuinely had to ask myself whether this book was trying to cleanse a haunted house or cleanse a failing marriage?
I’ve never been this angry at a book before. Angry at the money I spent, the time I lost, and the trauma it managed to resurrect.
At this point, “generational trauma” deserves its own horror subgenre.
Not for me, fam.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
She Waits Where Shadows Gather
Michelle Tang
Publication Date: May 5th
4.5 / 5
Ok, so....
I'd been in a bit of a reading slump over the past two weeks.
This book got me together, with quickness.
I love eerie horror. Something that makes me feel uneasy and (safely) nervous. Not many horror novels do this for me anymore, due to my desensitization.
(The few that easily come to mind are We Used To Live Here by Marcus Kliewer, Incidents Around The House by Josh Malerman, Mean-Spirited by Nick Roberts, The Deep by Nick Cutter, A Child Alone with Strangers by Philip Fracassi and House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski)
This book had me feeling uneasy from the end of chapter one. By the end of chapter three, I was nervous, jumpy and loving it. "She who creeps between" really unnerved me.
4.5
(Full Review to come)
Highly Recommend
If horror is your jam, and you love scaring yourself senseless, give this one a try. May it rattle you the same way it did me.
Michelle Tang
Publication Date: May 5th
4.5 / 5
Ok, so....
I'd been in a bit of a reading slump over the past two weeks.
This book got me together, with quickness.
I love eerie horror. Something that makes me feel uneasy and (safely) nervous. Not many horror novels do this for me anymore, due to my desensitization.
(The few that easily come to mind are We Used To Live Here by Marcus Kliewer, Incidents Around The House by Josh Malerman, Mean-Spirited by Nick Roberts, The Deep by Nick Cutter, A Child Alone with Strangers by Philip Fracassi and House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski)
This book had me feeling uneasy from the end of chapter one. By the end of chapter three, I was nervous, jumpy and loving it. "She who creeps between" really unnerved me.
4.5
(Full Review to come)
Highly Recommend
If horror is your jam, and you love scaring yourself senseless, give this one a try. May it rattle you the same way it did me.
January 16, 2026
5/5
First of all, thanks to netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this e-ARC!
This book is scary. Take it seriously. But as much as it is about ghosts, it touches so many topics. It shows humanity, masculinity specifically, religion, culture and entire belief systems. It also shows love and grief. I loved every second of it, so if you like horror, ghosts stories and familial trauma, this one is for you!
First of all, thanks to netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this e-ARC!
This book is scary. Take it seriously. But as much as it is about ghosts, it touches so many topics. It shows humanity, masculinity specifically, religion, culture and entire belief systems. It also shows love and grief. I loved every second of it, so if you like horror, ghosts stories and familial trauma, this one is for you!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A compelling haunted house story that delivered a claustrophobic and comforting setting while weaving in Filipino lore and customs.
Carlos and Avery Tan return to Carlos’ daunting childhood home at his parents' request. Their already strained marriage is put to the test when an accident leaves Carlos bedridden and slow to recover. Avery is left to pick up the pieces of her new life and navigate the growing unexplainable incidents in her new home. Aided by Carlos' family and childhood maid, Avery's own belief system is tested as she is plunged into a world of ghosts and witches, supernatural and superstition.
This book oozed with vibes. The locations and settings were beautifully described and at times you could feel the sticky heat of Manila through the pages. I loved the different monsters and lore that was explored and was super interested in these southeastern ghouls. Unfortunately I don't know if the ghosts were developed as well as they could have been. I felt like there were some supernatural elements that weren't explored as much as I would have hoped. I'd say the same for a couple characters, specifically Carlos' parents (his father could have been removed without effect ) and Dolores could have had a lot more development.
I think the plot would have felt more flushed out if more time had been spent on these characters and plot points and less time focusing on the flaws of Avery and Carlos' toxic dynamic. It felt like maybe too many elements were added causing them to not be fully followed. Unfortunately this did cause some of the story threads to feel a bit muddled or twisted at points.
I thought overall it was an interesting story that kept me hooked, but I wish I got more from the characters, both alive and dead.
3.5/5
Carlos and Avery Tan return to Carlos’ daunting childhood home at his parents' request. Their already strained marriage is put to the test when an accident leaves Carlos bedridden and slow to recover. Avery is left to pick up the pieces of her new life and navigate the growing unexplainable incidents in her new home. Aided by Carlos' family and childhood maid, Avery's own belief system is tested as she is plunged into a world of ghosts and witches, supernatural and superstition.
This book oozed with vibes. The locations and settings were beautifully described and at times you could feel the sticky heat of Manila through the pages. I loved the different monsters and lore that was explored and was super interested in these southeastern ghouls. Unfortunately I don't know if the ghosts were developed as well as they could have been. I felt like there were some supernatural elements that weren't explored as much as I would have hoped. I'd say the same for a couple characters, specifically Carlos' parents (his father could have been removed without effect ) and Dolores could have had a lot more development.
I think the plot would have felt more flushed out if more time had been spent on these characters and plot points and less time focusing on the flaws of Avery and Carlos' toxic dynamic. It felt like maybe too many elements were added causing them to not be fully followed. Unfortunately this did cause some of the story threads to feel a bit muddled or twisted at points.
I thought overall it was an interesting story that kept me hooked, but I wish I got more from the characters, both alive and dead.
3.5/5
May 15, 2026
Kinda cheesy and I liked it. The last chapters sealed my rating.
May 1, 2026
This was a beautiful, tragic, and at times terrifying ghost story. I specifically took my time with this one to relish in the atmosphere. Manila was a fantastic setting and I loved learning about some Filipino folklore. I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 21, 2026
i received this via netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
this book was frustratingly slow. it's told in two perspectives, averys' and carlos', and while i understand why the author did this, especially towards the end of the book, i hated it. carlos was such an unlikable character that his chapters were unpleasant to get through. i did enjoy learning about fillipino folklore throughout the book, but it felt like there was more of it in the last twenty percent of the book than the rest of it. rather than being revealed like a twist, it gave the vibe that the book had gone on too long and the ending was rushed. tang's writing style also was not my taste. the creepy scenes did not feel creepy. it was very telling, not very showing, if that makes sense. i feel like horror books like this need to feel very immersive and atmospheric to work, and i didn't get that from this.
this book was frustratingly slow. it's told in two perspectives, averys' and carlos', and while i understand why the author did this, especially towards the end of the book, i hated it. carlos was such an unlikable character that his chapters were unpleasant to get through. i did enjoy learning about fillipino folklore throughout the book, but it felt like there was more of it in the last twenty percent of the book than the rest of it. rather than being revealed like a twist, it gave the vibe that the book had gone on too long and the ending was rushed. tang's writing style also was not my taste. the creepy scenes did not feel creepy. it was very telling, not very showing, if that makes sense. i feel like horror books like this need to feel very immersive and atmospheric to work, and i didn't get that from this.
August 18, 2026
Bought this on a whim because the cover was cool, tbh wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did. Wouldn’t call it a horror by any means and the end was cringy af but still an enjoyable read
January 1, 2026
This book crept up on me, in the best way.
She Waits Where Shadows Gather is the kind of horror that doesn’t rely on cheap shocks but instead seeps under your skin and settles there. The haunted house isn’t just a setting; it’s a presence. From the covered mirrors to the silence around family tragedies, the atmosphere is thick with unease long before the supernatural fully reveals itself.
What really worked for me was the balance between human tension and horror. Avery and Carlos’s fractured marriage adds emotional weight, especially after Carlos’s devastating accident, which becomes a chilling turning point rather than a plot gimmick. Watching the power dynamics shift, while the house quite literally begins to speak, I was unsettling in a way that felt earned. The Filipino cultural elements and folklore elevate the story even further, grounding the terror in history, inheritance, and unspoken truths.
This is slow-burn, culturally rich horror that rewards patience. Creepy, emotionally layered, and quietly haunting,especially for readers who love when paranormal stories are about more than just ghosts.
She Waits Where Shadows Gather is the kind of horror that doesn’t rely on cheap shocks but instead seeps under your skin and settles there. The haunted house isn’t just a setting; it’s a presence. From the covered mirrors to the silence around family tragedies, the atmosphere is thick with unease long before the supernatural fully reveals itself.
What really worked for me was the balance between human tension and horror. Avery and Carlos’s fractured marriage adds emotional weight, especially after Carlos’s devastating accident, which becomes a chilling turning point rather than a plot gimmick. Watching the power dynamics shift, while the house quite literally begins to speak, I was unsettling in a way that felt earned. The Filipino cultural elements and folklore elevate the story even further, grounding the terror in history, inheritance, and unspoken truths.
This is slow-burn, culturally rich horror that rewards patience. Creepy, emotionally layered, and quietly haunting,especially for readers who love when paranormal stories are about more than just ghosts.
January 21, 2026
You know when you judge a book by its cover?
Yeah I know, we’re not supposed to do that.. but I did, I was intrigued after reading the description, then even more so after the first chapter.. then I struggled to put it down.
It gave me the spooky ghost story I crave with an added element of sorrow and shock, especially close to the end.
It definitely didn’t go the way I thought it would, and that’s a good thing..
Highly recommend.
I thank the author, their publisher and NetGalley for this ARC..
Yeah I know, we’re not supposed to do that.. but I did, I was intrigued after reading the description, then even more so after the first chapter.. then I struggled to put it down.
It gave me the spooky ghost story I crave with an added element of sorrow and shock, especially close to the end.
It definitely didn’t go the way I thought it would, and that’s a good thing..
Highly recommend.
I thank the author, their publisher and NetGalley for this ARC..
May 24, 2026
Bad. Terrible. Don’t bother. People who are telling you to read this don’t care about you. I really wanted this to be good and I feel like it had potential but seriously a bummer. the least scary prose ever and hated literally every character. take a shot every time the author uses a simile you’d be in the hospital by page 3
Did Not Finish
June 25, 2026TL; DR: An interesting premise and decent atmosphere is sullied by poor prose and an unengaging narrative. Perhaps you, dear reader, may be a more staunch reader than I, but I simply had to put this one down before finishing.
Full Review:
I wanted to like this book. So, so, so badly. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. Like a child who excitedly gets the grape-flavored medicine because, hey, they like grape-flavored stuff, only to realize that a grape jolly rancher and a grape vitamin are very, very different things, I was left pucker-lipped and disappointed by this novel.
She Waits Where Shadows Gather immediately caught my eye due to its premise. A horror novel based on Filipino folklore with a haunted house and themes centered around family history and marriage? Sign me up and ship me off! Like a trout seeing a perfectly delectable worm writhing about in the pond, I was clamped onto what was surely going to be a disturbing, unsettling, harrowing journey. However, as I started reading onwards, I quickly realized that the worm I was so quick to bite down on was attached to something much more sinister: a hook. And the fisherman on the other end of it wasn't the kind to throw you back in the water after they pose with you for a Tinder profile picture (admittedly just as bad as the one that would fry and eat you, I realize).
The Good:
This book's premise is awesome. The two leads, Avery and Carlos, move from Canada to Carlos' ancestral home in the Phillipines, allegedly for the opportunity to advance Carlos' career (he's a famous media personality who hosts a show predicated on debunking supernatural occurrences). I say allegedly, as it is later revealed that Carlos may have more personal—and, potentially, supernatural-adjacent—reasons for moving back home that he neglected to tell his wife; like a politician that claims he has never embezzled billions of dollars, Carlos knows how to use a tactful omission to his advantage (for the record, it was millions of dollars). His deceit, along with other longstanding issues in their marriage, leads to bitter feelings between the two that culminate in Carlos being left comatose from a drunk driving-induced car accident. Avery must care for Carlos while braving the horrors that await in the creepy home. How interesting is that? But, like demonstrating Newton's first law of motion by giving your friend a light shove, things start going downhill—quality-wise—fast.
The Bad:
Before I state my first issue, and indeed all of my issues, I must make the disclaimer that I dnf'd this book a third of the way through, and so this issue may have been rectified later on in the novel. With that being said, this book is not scary enough, or even mildly unsettling. In the 100+ pages I read, nothing creepy really happens. There are stories of folklore and past incidents that are interesting, but they are hardly dwelt on enough to inspire any kind of dread or unease. The creepiest thing that happens is a visit from three ghastly apparitions in the middle of the night, and the scene ends so quickly that it hardly leaves an impact on you. Like a scene out of the 2014 Legendary Pictures rendition of Godzilla where the monsters are about to do battle, it cuts right as it's about to get good.
The two leads suck. Full stop. Neither is likable, nor is either interesting enough that you want to see them develop into better people by the end of the novel. Avery is a cynic that thinks everyone else is an ignoramus with critical thinking skills on par with a sea anemone for having faith the size of a mustard seed in anything supernatural, and Carlos is a selfish loser who says things like "I'm going to reward her for her good behavior tonight" in response to his wife giving up the ghost and reluctantly yielding to an activity she did not want to participate in. Like a romance straight out of After by Anna Todd, these two share the kind of love that makes you root for them to stay together until the end of their days in order to prevent them from entering the dating pool and poison the dating scene more than it already is. Reading about their marriage issues doesn't leave you feeling empathetic and convicted to see them work things out; it just leaves you looking up practice LSATs so you can earn a JD and serve them the damn divorce papers yourself.
The biggest reason this book was a dnf for me was the prose. Good God. Show don't tell is possibly the most overrated piece of writing advice in the world, but it is truly applicable here. This book foregoes letting you discover things about characters and their feelings via interactions with others and the world in service of a much more direct approach; putting a bib on you and shoveling plot and characterization in your mouth via flashbacks and monologues. Don't like the sound of that? Don't worry, it's at least veneered in a well-written package, like a pack of socks on Christmas Day.
I am lying to you.
Have you found my overuse of similes in this review annoying? Stilted? Does it make you feel tired, bothered, or slightly homicidal? If you assent to anything I've just asked, then consider skipping this one. This author uses similes a lot. Like, a lot a lot. Like so many it makes me wonder if they just discovered what similes are. There is nothing wrong with using literary devices to enhance your writing, and they often add to the imagery of your scenes and the impact of the narrative you are trying to tell. However, relying on them too heavily, especially if you are only using one kind becomes immersion breaking and tiresome to read. If you took a shot every time you read a simile in this book, you would be dead by chapter 5. That's only slightly hyperbolic.
Final Verdict:
She Waits Where Shadows Gather feels, in a word, furtive. Things move quickly, without really giving them a chance to settle with you. The house never quite feels alive with malice, the characters never really tangible or interesting, the narrative never truly gripping or compelling, because this book seems almost nervous about overstaying its welcome. Even the prose feels like the author did not want to flex their literary muscle, and instead relied on overusing a single technique, amongst other issues I recognized but chose to avoid mentioning for the sake of brevity. Maybe someone who read the entire thing through can respond and tell me how wrong I am about everything stated here; I welcome the correction. But, until then, I'm tapping out.
Full Review:
I wanted to like this book. So, so, so badly. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. Like a child who excitedly gets the grape-flavored medicine because, hey, they like grape-flavored stuff, only to realize that a grape jolly rancher and a grape vitamin are very, very different things, I was left pucker-lipped and disappointed by this novel.
She Waits Where Shadows Gather immediately caught my eye due to its premise. A horror novel based on Filipino folklore with a haunted house and themes centered around family history and marriage? Sign me up and ship me off! Like a trout seeing a perfectly delectable worm writhing about in the pond, I was clamped onto what was surely going to be a disturbing, unsettling, harrowing journey. However, as I started reading onwards, I quickly realized that the worm I was so quick to bite down on was attached to something much more sinister: a hook. And the fisherman on the other end of it wasn't the kind to throw you back in the water after they pose with you for a Tinder profile picture (admittedly just as bad as the one that would fry and eat you, I realize).
The Good:
This book's premise is awesome. The two leads, Avery and Carlos, move from Canada to Carlos' ancestral home in the Phillipines, allegedly for the opportunity to advance Carlos' career (he's a famous media personality who hosts a show predicated on debunking supernatural occurrences). I say allegedly, as it is later revealed that Carlos may have more personal—and, potentially, supernatural-adjacent—reasons for moving back home that he neglected to tell his wife; like a politician that claims he has never embezzled billions of dollars, Carlos knows how to use a tactful omission to his advantage (for the record, it was millions of dollars). His deceit, along with other longstanding issues in their marriage, leads to bitter feelings between the two that culminate in Carlos being left comatose from a drunk driving-induced car accident. Avery must care for Carlos while braving the horrors that await in the creepy home. How interesting is that? But, like demonstrating Newton's first law of motion by giving your friend a light shove, things start going downhill—quality-wise—fast.
The Bad:
Before I state my first issue, and indeed all of my issues, I must make the disclaimer that I dnf'd this book a third of the way through, and so this issue may have been rectified later on in the novel. With that being said, this book is not scary enough, or even mildly unsettling. In the 100+ pages I read, nothing creepy really happens. There are stories of folklore and past incidents that are interesting, but they are hardly dwelt on enough to inspire any kind of dread or unease. The creepiest thing that happens is a visit from three ghastly apparitions in the middle of the night, and the scene ends so quickly that it hardly leaves an impact on you. Like a scene out of the 2014 Legendary Pictures rendition of Godzilla where the monsters are about to do battle, it cuts right as it's about to get good.
The two leads suck. Full stop. Neither is likable, nor is either interesting enough that you want to see them develop into better people by the end of the novel. Avery is a cynic that thinks everyone else is an ignoramus with critical thinking skills on par with a sea anemone for having faith the size of a mustard seed in anything supernatural, and Carlos is a selfish loser who says things like "I'm going to reward her for her good behavior tonight" in response to his wife giving up the ghost and reluctantly yielding to an activity she did not want to participate in. Like a romance straight out of After by Anna Todd, these two share the kind of love that makes you root for them to stay together until the end of their days in order to prevent them from entering the dating pool and poison the dating scene more than it already is. Reading about their marriage issues doesn't leave you feeling empathetic and convicted to see them work things out; it just leaves you looking up practice LSATs so you can earn a JD and serve them the damn divorce papers yourself.
The biggest reason this book was a dnf for me was the prose. Good God. Show don't tell is possibly the most overrated piece of writing advice in the world, but it is truly applicable here. This book foregoes letting you discover things about characters and their feelings via interactions with others and the world in service of a much more direct approach; putting a bib on you and shoveling plot and characterization in your mouth via flashbacks and monologues. Don't like the sound of that? Don't worry, it's at least veneered in a well-written package, like a pack of socks on Christmas Day.
I am lying to you.
Have you found my overuse of similes in this review annoying? Stilted? Does it make you feel tired, bothered, or slightly homicidal? If you assent to anything I've just asked, then consider skipping this one. This author uses similes a lot. Like, a lot a lot. Like so many it makes me wonder if they just discovered what similes are. There is nothing wrong with using literary devices to enhance your writing, and they often add to the imagery of your scenes and the impact of the narrative you are trying to tell. However, relying on them too heavily, especially if you are only using one kind becomes immersion breaking and tiresome to read. If you took a shot every time you read a simile in this book, you would be dead by chapter 5. That's only slightly hyperbolic.
Final Verdict:
She Waits Where Shadows Gather feels, in a word, furtive. Things move quickly, without really giving them a chance to settle with you. The house never quite feels alive with malice, the characters never really tangible or interesting, the narrative never truly gripping or compelling, because this book seems almost nervous about overstaying its welcome. Even the prose feels like the author did not want to flex their literary muscle, and instead relied on overusing a single technique, amongst other issues I recognized but chose to avoid mentioning for the sake of brevity. Maybe someone who read the entire thing through can respond and tell me how wrong I am about everything stated here; I welcome the correction. But, until then, I'm tapping out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2026
A satisfying and horror-filled romp in The Philippines based entirely on Filipino folklore, this story will scare you, thrill you, annoy you and educate you. Lately I’ve been having a great time with the naturally dark atmosphere of Filipino gothic horror stories. And I could not put this down!
Our main characters are extremely flawed. Our location is a lovely home (as picturesque as haunted homes tend to be). The rest of our cast of characters are quirky and bring amazing texture to the scenes they appear in. I started off not trusting Dolores and I think that is entirely on purpose.
What was seemingly a beautiful marriage quickly shows itself to be the opposite of that. Riddled with fertility and communication issues, Avery and Carlos have to navigate a big move back to the Philippines wherein the former starts to feel the weight of her spouse's lies.
I really really loved how this took me back to the streets of Manila. Michelle Tang made the traffic, the heat, the people, the strife and the beauty of the Philippines clear and visceral. She also paints a very interesting picture of the Witchcraft lore that I grew up learning in Philippines. It doesn't lower my rating in any way because it was not my experience but I do very much understand that this might be where we lose those who are not well-versed in this particular folklore. Notably, the differences between mambabalang and mangkukulam, how they affect the layers of the story (from character development, to location, and the tiny details with bugs/hair/mirrors/charms), and how it all comes together in the end in a very intricate way you may not fully understand unless you looked it all up.
What I will say is, even if you didn't get the folklore presented to you without looking it up, I still enjoyed seeing the story unfold as is: A toxic relationship that didn't have a way out. I won't say more to avoid spoilers but I love how this story really gave you all the sides. That more than one thing can be true about somebody. That everyone can be a hero AND a villain living in shades of gray. That we can all stay and wallow in negativity, or rise above to achieve a positive, no matter how slim the chances are, no matter how difficult the journey.
Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and Sourcebook Landmark for the ALC of this book!
Our main characters are extremely flawed. Our location is a lovely home (as picturesque as haunted homes tend to be). The rest of our cast of characters are quirky and bring amazing texture to the scenes they appear in. I started off not trusting Dolores and I think that is entirely on purpose.
What was seemingly a beautiful marriage quickly shows itself to be the opposite of that. Riddled with fertility and communication issues, Avery and Carlos have to navigate a big move back to the Philippines wherein the former starts to feel the weight of her spouse's lies.
I really really loved how this took me back to the streets of Manila. Michelle Tang made the traffic, the heat, the people, the strife and the beauty of the Philippines clear and visceral. She also paints a very interesting picture of the Witchcraft lore that I grew up learning in Philippines. It doesn't lower my rating in any way because it was not my experience but I do very much understand that this might be where we lose those who are not well-versed in this particular folklore. Notably, the differences between mambabalang and mangkukulam, how they affect the layers of the story (from character development, to location, and the tiny details with bugs/hair/mirrors/charms), and how it all comes together in the end in a very intricate way you may not fully understand unless you looked it all up.
What I will say is, even if you didn't get the folklore presented to you without looking it up, I still enjoyed seeing the story unfold as is: A toxic relationship that didn't have a way out. I won't say more to avoid spoilers but I love how this story really gave you all the sides. That more than one thing can be true about somebody. That everyone can be a hero AND a villain living in shades of gray. That we can all stay and wallow in negativity, or rise above to achieve a positive, no matter how slim the chances are, no matter how difficult the journey.
Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and Sourcebook Landmark for the ALC of this book!
September 12, 2026
2.5 ⭐️⭐️ round to 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️. The premise of this one sounded SO good, and I really wanted it to work for me, but unfortunately, it just didn’t quite hit the mark.
I can appreciate when a story incorporates a different culture, especially when it gives you a glimpse into the traditions, beliefs, family dynamics, and way of life. That was definitely one of the things I found most interesting here. But for me, the actual story got a little lost in all of it.
A huge part of the book focused on Avery and Carlos wanting a baby and everything surrounding their infertility and marriage. And honestly, I struggled with their relationship. They would talk about how much they loved each other, but then seemed so quick to walk away from each other when things got difficult. I just never fully connected with them.
The priest was probably my favorite character, though 😂 He seemed like the most levelheaded person in the entire book, and I found myself appreciating his perspective more than anyone else’s.
And while I liked the idea behind the horror elements, I wanted MORE from them. The premise has so much potential, but the execution just didn’t give me the creepy, unsettling feeling I was hoping for. There were definitely some interesting ideas here, but I kept feeling like the story wasn’t quite living up to what it could have been.
I also have to say that at times this felt like it could have been written for a YA audience, which surprised me given what I was expecting going in.
I really wanted to love this one because the premise is fantastic, and I can absolutely appreciate what the author was trying to do. It just wasn’t a story that fully worked for me.
I can appreciate when a story incorporates a different culture, especially when it gives you a glimpse into the traditions, beliefs, family dynamics, and way of life. That was definitely one of the things I found most interesting here. But for me, the actual story got a little lost in all of it.
A huge part of the book focused on Avery and Carlos wanting a baby and everything surrounding their infertility and marriage. And honestly, I struggled with their relationship. They would talk about how much they loved each other, but then seemed so quick to walk away from each other when things got difficult. I just never fully connected with them.
The priest was probably my favorite character, though 😂 He seemed like the most levelheaded person in the entire book, and I found myself appreciating his perspective more than anyone else’s.
And while I liked the idea behind the horror elements, I wanted MORE from them. The premise has so much potential, but the execution just didn’t give me the creepy, unsettling feeling I was hoping for. There were definitely some interesting ideas here, but I kept feeling like the story wasn’t quite living up to what it could have been.
I also have to say that at times this felt like it could have been written for a YA audience, which surprised me given what I was expecting going in.
I really wanted to love this one because the premise is fantastic, and I can absolutely appreciate what the author was trying to do. It just wasn’t a story that fully worked for me.
May 6, 2026
In this slow burning horror, Michelle Tang brings folk horror from Philippines explored through family drama, and ideological clashes. Carlos returns to his familial home along with his partner Avery, that's famous among the locals for being haunted. Tension exists from the get go; familiar and undertaking.
A car crash leaves Carlos trapped in his own body, unable to move and his mind-a prison of his own making. Avery investigates the stories buried behind mirrors (that are covered!) and the eeriness that she's brushed off at the start of her visit. The people, the stories, the family - all compound to stifling feeling that's exacerbated by Manila's heat.
The character themselves offer nothing great - Carlos and Avery's relationship is anything but stable and each have their own agenda for coming to Manila. While Carlos as a character gets exploration post car crash, his initial character is unscrupulous. Avery's growth as a person is fascinating as her ideas and identity itself gets challenged. Of course it all works out neatly and cleanly (feels rushed), making the gaps between their change seem deeper.
She waits where the shadows gather is an enjoyable eerie paranormal horror with south east Asian folklore, and characters from diaspora adjusting to a city and family that's rooted in centuries of tradition and culture.
Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
A car crash leaves Carlos trapped in his own body, unable to move and his mind-a prison of his own making. Avery investigates the stories buried behind mirrors (that are covered!) and the eeriness that she's brushed off at the start of her visit. The people, the stories, the family - all compound to stifling feeling that's exacerbated by Manila's heat.
The character themselves offer nothing great - Carlos and Avery's relationship is anything but stable and each have their own agenda for coming to Manila. While Carlos as a character gets exploration post car crash, his initial character is unscrupulous. Avery's growth as a person is fascinating as her ideas and identity itself gets challenged. Of course it all works out neatly and cleanly (feels rushed), making the gaps between their change seem deeper.
She waits where the shadows gather is an enjoyable eerie paranormal horror with south east Asian folklore, and characters from diaspora adjusting to a city and family that's rooted in centuries of tradition and culture.
Thank you to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.
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