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Beneath the Hollow Moon
A haunted camp. A strange entity. A girl who can't remember what she's done.
Something terrible happened to Ada Wren last summer, but she can't remember what. There are the fever, the trees, a strange boy dragging her back from the dark. Now, back at Camp Larkspur for her first year as a counselor, she's hoping for a quiet season-- a second chance.
But the forest still has teeth.
Something ancient is waking amongst the pines-- something sharp and hungry. When Ada is bitten in the woods and campers begin to vanish, her body begins to change in way she can't explain. Visions, glowing eyes, and the lingering scent of blood.
With her memory unraveling and trust splintering, Ada must team up wiht a ragtag band of friends-- including Noah, a silent and brooding boy who seems to know more than he says-- to uncover a mystery that's been haunting the camp for decades, before it devours them all.
--
Stephen King meets Wilder Girls in this unflinching and eerie standalone thriller, with a heart that beats with real mythology.
Perfect for fans of Scott Carson, We Were Liars, and Yellowjackets, this is a haunting young adult horror about girlhood, memory, and what the forest remembers-- even when you don't.
Something terrible happened to Ada Wren last summer, but she can't remember what. There are the fever, the trees, a strange boy dragging her back from the dark. Now, back at Camp Larkspur for her first year as a counselor, she's hoping for a quiet season-- a second chance.
But the forest still has teeth.
Something ancient is waking amongst the pines-- something sharp and hungry. When Ada is bitten in the woods and campers begin to vanish, her body begins to change in way she can't explain. Visions, glowing eyes, and the lingering scent of blood.
With her memory unraveling and trust splintering, Ada must team up wiht a ragtag band of friends-- including Noah, a silent and brooding boy who seems to know more than he says-- to uncover a mystery that's been haunting the camp for decades, before it devours them all.
--
Stephen King meets Wilder Girls in this unflinching and eerie standalone thriller, with a heart that beats with real mythology.
Perfect for fans of Scott Carson, We Were Liars, and Yellowjackets, this is a haunting young adult horror about girlhood, memory, and what the forest remembers-- even when you don't.
437 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 31, 2025
1 person is currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Ashlea Stannard
6 books33 followersteen author, reader and literature student. i write crime novels, romance and the occasional tragic novella. my debut novel "the enigmatic end to bethany reed" is out now.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 15, 2025
The perfect halloween party read!
I was so excited to receive and ARC for this book, a thriller at a summer camp with folkloric creatures and spooky vibes? Immediately yes, and it did not disappoint.
The thriller elements truly freaked me out, the setting was well developed and the use of a folkloric creature that I believe is less well known worked really well to be scary but especially the way it linked into the history of the camp and land was cleverly done.
The other standout here is the characters. The found family vibes I LOVED the characters have unique dynamics with eachother which develop well and believably. June and Ada’s friendship was absolutely beautiful and Noah and Ada’s relationship development was well paced and very sweet.
The only reason it loses a star is because I think it could’ve done with another edit. Typos are pretty much unavoidable however much you edit, and I can easily ignore those, but I did find at points the setting description was over written, which led to a lot of repetition in language or words used meaning they lost effect to me. The other issue with this is that there is some beautiful writing in this which ended up getting lost due to the writing being over done at points and sometimes didn’t quite flow. Sometimes you’ve gotta trust the audience to pick things up themselves or remember details.
Still, I had an absolute blast reading this and a massive thank you to Ashlea for sending me a physical ARC of this book!
I was so excited to receive and ARC for this book, a thriller at a summer camp with folkloric creatures and spooky vibes? Immediately yes, and it did not disappoint.
The thriller elements truly freaked me out, the setting was well developed and the use of a folkloric creature that I believe is less well known worked really well to be scary but especially the way it linked into the history of the camp and land was cleverly done.
The other standout here is the characters. The found family vibes I LOVED the characters have unique dynamics with eachother which develop well and believably. June and Ada’s friendship was absolutely beautiful and Noah and Ada’s relationship development was well paced and very sweet.
The only reason it loses a star is because I think it could’ve done with another edit. Typos are pretty much unavoidable however much you edit, and I can easily ignore those, but I did find at points the setting description was over written, which led to a lot of repetition in language or words used meaning they lost effect to me. The other issue with this is that there is some beautiful writing in this which ended up getting lost due to the writing being over done at points and sometimes didn’t quite flow. Sometimes you’ve gotta trust the audience to pick things up themselves or remember details.
Still, I had an absolute blast reading this and a massive thank you to Ashlea for sending me a physical ARC of this book!
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November 19, 2025i am proud of this one ;)
November 3, 2025
Movie deal when? (4.5 stars)
The dark, cinematic indie horror I didn't know I desperately needed. This is a gritty, fast-paced descent into a summer camp in rural Maine that perfectly balances chills with laugh-out-loud banter between the characters. I sunk into the plot hook but core cast dynamics kept me biting, and I love every character and their witticisms - this book is a masterclass in banter!
Setting is very atmospheric, well represented and the plot and summer camp setting go hand in hand. Lots of dark, delicious details that make it feel real and distinctly American - if you can get past the occasional smattering of British English. Writing style is quite evocative. The visuals were so cinematic but didn't detract from the action! I'm a sucker for psychological elements!
Overall, the plot was very satisfying and kept me turning pages. It faced the natural challenge of weaving so many timelines together, which it did with grace. Not jarring, but it will take a brain. This is not a cozy, mindless read.
This book has gained me a lot of respect for the horror genre, as that is not my primary area of expertise. It absolutely succeeds in being bonechilling, but not too morbid that you can't sleep. Rides a fine line with tact and skill, and I can confidently recommend this to those curious about the genre but don't know where to start. Worth a read, just for the dialogue!
Massive thank you to the author for this gorgeous ARC for an honest review!
The dark, cinematic indie horror I didn't know I desperately needed. This is a gritty, fast-paced descent into a summer camp in rural Maine that perfectly balances chills with laugh-out-loud banter between the characters. I sunk into the plot hook but core cast dynamics kept me biting, and I love every character and their witticisms - this book is a masterclass in banter!
Setting is very atmospheric, well represented and the plot and summer camp setting go hand in hand. Lots of dark, delicious details that make it feel real and distinctly American - if you can get past the occasional smattering of British English. Writing style is quite evocative. The visuals were so cinematic but didn't detract from the action! I'm a sucker for psychological elements!
Overall, the plot was very satisfying and kept me turning pages. It faced the natural challenge of weaving so many timelines together, which it did with grace. Not jarring, but it will take a brain. This is not a cozy, mindless read.
This book has gained me a lot of respect for the horror genre, as that is not my primary area of expertise. It absolutely succeeds in being bonechilling, but not too morbid that you can't sleep. Rides a fine line with tact and skill, and I can confidently recommend this to those curious about the genre but don't know where to start. Worth a read, just for the dialogue!
Massive thank you to the author for this gorgeous ARC for an honest review!
December 12, 2025
Once again Ashlea has pulled out all the stops!!! When she told me her next book was going to be more of a horror, I was immediately intrigued because she had never written anything like it before. When I started reading I was blown away with the setting, the characters and the atmosphere, and even though I’ve never been to America I really felt a sense of nostalgia for the summer camp childhood experience.
Ashlea manages to subtly weave in tension and dread throughout the novel without revealing too much, which led me hooked until the very end, and the ending was very satisfying and meaningful (without spoiling too much)
Overall, another great read and I’m excited to see what she does next!
Ashlea manages to subtly weave in tension and dread throughout the novel without revealing too much, which led me hooked until the very end, and the ending was very satisfying and meaningful (without spoiling too much)
Overall, another great read and I’m excited to see what she does next!
November 12, 2025
I had the pleasure of being an arc reader for the upcoming release of this book. I haven't previously read any work by this author, so I went in blind to her writing style and such. I want to make sure I give this book the best review possible, so it might be a long one.
Beneath the Hollow Moon is a supernatural thriller, set at a summer camp full of decades old secrets and local legends. Ada Wren has been going to Camp Larkspur for almost all of her life. It has somewhat felt like a second home, that was until last year when she got sick. When returning this year, she can't remember what happened and everyone else is keeping quiet. As camp gets into the swing of things, Ada starts feeling less and less like herself. She doesn't know if she is seeing things or if they're really there. That is until campers start going missing and her counsellor friends start getting hurt. This time Ada isn't alone with her visions and worries, her friends are seeing things too. As they start to uncover the truth, decades old secrets are coming to light, including one that may have brought local legend Razor-Shins to life. Can Ada and her friends uncover the truth before they're silenced? By the monster or the very people she should trust. More importantly, can Ada uncover the truth before she turns into something else entirely.
After reading the blurb I was sure that this book was going to be right up my street, so when I started reading I was excited to see where the plot would lead me. I think it started off rather slow, I did find it hard to engage initially as I felt there was a little too much detail describing the things I wouldn't deem as needing to be over described, if that makes sense? The world building was great though, you could picture the camp with ease and almost feel the atmosphere which I appreciated. I just felt that sometimes there were things that were over descripted that didn't need to be, so I occasionally got lost or drawn into things that later didn't matter. The plot did pick up, as did the pace. I really enjoyed the camp horror story come to life arc. Razor-Shins was a compelling and terrifying monster. I found the way in which it called to people extremely intriguing. I thought that it was a great move tying it to the land of the camp itself, when people started healing from their injuries I was pulled deeper into the mystery of it all. At times I did feel like there were two different stories going on, the Razor-Shins story and the story regarding Geneva Abott and the mill. However, when reaching the end I do think Ashlea tied the stories together really well and it made a lot more sense. The conclusion of the mystery felt satisfying, but I do wish Ada's transformation was a bit better explained. It happened quite quickly and I was a tad bit lost because of everything else going on. Going off what I took from Ada's transformation, I think there is definitely a chance for a sequel where Ada uncovers more dark secrets at helps other children at different camps. I would totally be up for reading that. I was very engrossed in this plotline, I thought it was entertaining and beyond strange. I never felt like I knew where it was ultimately leading.
I loved the characters a lot. The found family element was really beautiful to read. Each person in Ada's friend group was unique and they all made an impact on the story. I particularly liked Jamie, they were very interesting and often poetic at times. I loved seeing their relationship with Ada develop. It isn't explicitly said Jamie is non-binary, but that is what I understood by their pronouns and I was extremely glad to see that inclusion. I also loved the fact it didn't need to be addressed, Jamie just was. I thought that was really lovely. There was an element of romance as well and I could really feel the tether pulling Noah and Ada together. I liked how natural and authentic their interactions were. These kids were pulled into an enormous darkness, but they stuck together, did what they could to protect each other and the kids of the camp. I thought their story was well written, I really enjoyed how character driven it still was with such a loud plotline.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this. The plot was great, the characters were impactful, there was a really eerie vibe to the book that was so compelling. The only things that kept me from rating this five stars were the things mentioned above and some difficulties I found within the structure. But that is purely because I pay attention to things other people probably don't. I am incredibly grateful to have been an arc reader for this book, I look forward to reading more of Ashlea's work in the future. I highly recommend reading this book, especially given the season!
Thank you Ashlea, for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
Beneath the Hollow Moon is a supernatural thriller, set at a summer camp full of decades old secrets and local legends. Ada Wren has been going to Camp Larkspur for almost all of her life. It has somewhat felt like a second home, that was until last year when she got sick. When returning this year, she can't remember what happened and everyone else is keeping quiet. As camp gets into the swing of things, Ada starts feeling less and less like herself. She doesn't know if she is seeing things or if they're really there. That is until campers start going missing and her counsellor friends start getting hurt. This time Ada isn't alone with her visions and worries, her friends are seeing things too. As they start to uncover the truth, decades old secrets are coming to light, including one that may have brought local legend Razor-Shins to life. Can Ada and her friends uncover the truth before they're silenced? By the monster or the very people she should trust. More importantly, can Ada uncover the truth before she turns into something else entirely.
After reading the blurb I was sure that this book was going to be right up my street, so when I started reading I was excited to see where the plot would lead me. I think it started off rather slow, I did find it hard to engage initially as I felt there was a little too much detail describing the things I wouldn't deem as needing to be over described, if that makes sense? The world building was great though, you could picture the camp with ease and almost feel the atmosphere which I appreciated. I just felt that sometimes there were things that were over descripted that didn't need to be, so I occasionally got lost or drawn into things that later didn't matter. The plot did pick up, as did the pace. I really enjoyed the camp horror story come to life arc. Razor-Shins was a compelling and terrifying monster. I found the way in which it called to people extremely intriguing. I thought that it was a great move tying it to the land of the camp itself, when people started healing from their injuries I was pulled deeper into the mystery of it all. At times I did feel like there were two different stories going on, the Razor-Shins story and the story regarding Geneva Abott and the mill. However, when reaching the end I do think Ashlea tied the stories together really well and it made a lot more sense. The conclusion of the mystery felt satisfying, but I do wish Ada's transformation was a bit better explained. It happened quite quickly and I was a tad bit lost because of everything else going on. Going off what I took from Ada's transformation, I think there is definitely a chance for a sequel where Ada uncovers more dark secrets at helps other children at different camps. I would totally be up for reading that. I was very engrossed in this plotline, I thought it was entertaining and beyond strange. I never felt like I knew where it was ultimately leading.
I loved the characters a lot. The found family element was really beautiful to read. Each person in Ada's friend group was unique and they all made an impact on the story. I particularly liked Jamie, they were very interesting and often poetic at times. I loved seeing their relationship with Ada develop. It isn't explicitly said Jamie is non-binary, but that is what I understood by their pronouns and I was extremely glad to see that inclusion. I also loved the fact it didn't need to be addressed, Jamie just was. I thought that was really lovely. There was an element of romance as well and I could really feel the tether pulling Noah and Ada together. I liked how natural and authentic their interactions were. These kids were pulled into an enormous darkness, but they stuck together, did what they could to protect each other and the kids of the camp. I thought their story was well written, I really enjoyed how character driven it still was with such a loud plotline.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this. The plot was great, the characters were impactful, there was a really eerie vibe to the book that was so compelling. The only things that kept me from rating this five stars were the things mentioned above and some difficulties I found within the structure. But that is purely because I pay attention to things other people probably don't. I am incredibly grateful to have been an arc reader for this book, I look forward to reading more of Ashlea's work in the future. I highly recommend reading this book, especially given the season!
Thank you Ashlea, for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews