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The Winter Folk
A woman returns to the mysterious lodge in the woods where she once worked, and to the inscrutable creature that bound her there, in this haunting Appalachian gothic horror from singular voice Jen Julian. Perfect for fans of Alix E. Harrow and T. Kingfisher.
This is the story of Moth, who earned her name working for the Winter Folk.
Every year, the Winter Folk gather at a secret lodge in the Appalachians, a place known as Deerhaven, refuge for the time-worn and weary. As a child, Moth heard warnings from her They are heartless, wild creatures—and they got no concern of us. At twenty-one, Moth is a college dropout, indebted, impoverished, and desperate for better things. She falls instantly for Deerhaven’s beautiful antlered host, the mild-mannered Mr. Oslin. When he offers her a housekeeper’s contract—one wish granted for a winter of service—she signs without question.
But Deerhaven is a dangerous place. Staff must follow strict rules or else face dire consequences, and the guests can be unpredictable and savage. And yet, Moth endures, enticed by a rumor that Mr. Oslin is looking for a protégé. A singular worker who would stay with him forever and be transformed.
Decades later, Moth returns to Appalachia with her husband and teenage daughter. She can't shake the feeling that she needs to return to Deerhaven, which banished her twenty years ago. As she hunts for a way in, her haunting memories and harrowing experiences come roaring back — her friends and rivals, her growing obsession with Mr. Oslin, and her mysterious exile.
A door exists in the dark of the woods. After so long away, what has Deerhaven become?
This is the story of Moth, who earned her name working for the Winter Folk.
Every year, the Winter Folk gather at a secret lodge in the Appalachians, a place known as Deerhaven, refuge for the time-worn and weary. As a child, Moth heard warnings from her They are heartless, wild creatures—and they got no concern of us. At twenty-one, Moth is a college dropout, indebted, impoverished, and desperate for better things. She falls instantly for Deerhaven’s beautiful antlered host, the mild-mannered Mr. Oslin. When he offers her a housekeeper’s contract—one wish granted for a winter of service—she signs without question.
But Deerhaven is a dangerous place. Staff must follow strict rules or else face dire consequences, and the guests can be unpredictable and savage. And yet, Moth endures, enticed by a rumor that Mr. Oslin is looking for a protégé. A singular worker who would stay with him forever and be transformed.
Decades later, Moth returns to Appalachia with her husband and teenage daughter. She can't shake the feeling that she needs to return to Deerhaven, which banished her twenty years ago. As she hunts for a way in, her haunting memories and harrowing experiences come roaring back — her friends and rivals, her growing obsession with Mr. Oslin, and her mysterious exile.
A door exists in the dark of the woods. After so long away, what has Deerhaven become?
374 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 21, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
July 9, 2026
This book was not what I expected at all. My expectations were definitely more horror leaning, monsters in a forest or something but it wasn’t anything like that and you know what, it was better than that.
We follow Vera who is telling this story of how she had fallen on hard times when she was younger and when suddenly a strange girl appeared offering to take her to Deerhaven to meet and work for Mr. Oslin. Deerhaven is this magical door that just appears when people need it and it basically leads to this otherworldly resort/hotel. She’s offered to work for 3 months as a housemaid and in return she gets whatever she wishes. But she has to follow the rules and serve the not so human guests to the best of her abilities.
The book switches back and forth between past and present and it definitely amplified the mystery on how she ended up where she is after experiencing that weird place in her past.
Was this horror? Kind of? It’s more magical realism with found family and some mystery elements regarding fairy like creatures.
I did really enjoy it. I almost couldn’t put it down and read well past my bed time. My one complaint is there’s a ‘romance’ that suddenly happens and I really didn’t like it and didn’t understand why it needed to happen. It got weird and was very one sided.
Full review to come on my YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@hollyheartsbooks...
We follow Vera who is telling this story of how she had fallen on hard times when she was younger and when suddenly a strange girl appeared offering to take her to Deerhaven to meet and work for Mr. Oslin. Deerhaven is this magical door that just appears when people need it and it basically leads to this otherworldly resort/hotel. She’s offered to work for 3 months as a housemaid and in return she gets whatever she wishes. But she has to follow the rules and serve the not so human guests to the best of her abilities.
The book switches back and forth between past and present and it definitely amplified the mystery on how she ended up where she is after experiencing that weird place in her past.
Was this horror? Kind of? It’s more magical realism with found family and some mystery elements regarding fairy like creatures.
I did really enjoy it. I almost couldn’t put it down and read well past my bed time. My one complaint is there’s a ‘romance’ that suddenly happens and I really didn’t like it and didn’t understand why it needed to happen. It got weird and was very one sided.
Full review to come on my YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@hollyheartsbooks...
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow. What a ride. I honestly came across this on NetGalley and applied to review it on a whim, thinking I probably wouldn’t love it, but it might be interesting.
This was phenomenal. Seriously. Put this author on the map!!! It’s very rare that I read a story that engulfs me, encircles me, has me hanging on every word and dreading the finish. I’m the type of person who typically wants to get through a book and on to the next one, but every so often, one comes along like this and it’s decadent. I enjoyed every single second of it.
With similar vibes to Hayao Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away,” this is set in both the real world and a fantasy one, but instead of a bathhouse, it’s a hotel. The guests are imaginative, creative, beyond your wildest nightmares and the protagonist has to “give up her name” while she’s working at DeerHaven. If she breaks any rules, the consequences are dire.
This book left me guessing at every turn. The dark fantasy aspect was spectacular. I want to pick this author’s imagination because phewwww where did she come up with some of this stuff. I have a hard time picturing books when I read, but wow did she paint a picture for me. I will be thinking about this one for a while. 🦌
I was a bit thrown by the ending, I didn’t feel like we got the answers we wanted or a solid wrap up to everything that happened. But perhaps there’s another book to come? A girl can dream. Also please make this a movie, thanks. I need all of these characters to come to life.
Highly highly recommend. This is getting added to the favorites shelf!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
Wow. What a ride. I honestly came across this on NetGalley and applied to review it on a whim, thinking I probably wouldn’t love it, but it might be interesting.
This was phenomenal. Seriously. Put this author on the map!!! It’s very rare that I read a story that engulfs me, encircles me, has me hanging on every word and dreading the finish. I’m the type of person who typically wants to get through a book and on to the next one, but every so often, one comes along like this and it’s decadent. I enjoyed every single second of it.
With similar vibes to Hayao Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away,” this is set in both the real world and a fantasy one, but instead of a bathhouse, it’s a hotel. The guests are imaginative, creative, beyond your wildest nightmares and the protagonist has to “give up her name” while she’s working at DeerHaven. If she breaks any rules, the consequences are dire.
This book left me guessing at every turn. The dark fantasy aspect was spectacular. I want to pick this author’s imagination because phewwww where did she come up with some of this stuff. I have a hard time picturing books when I read, but wow did she paint a picture for me. I will be thinking about this one for a while. 🦌
I was a bit thrown by the ending, I didn’t feel like we got the answers we wanted or a solid wrap up to everything that happened. But perhaps there’s another book to come? A girl can dream. Also please make this a movie, thanks. I need all of these characters to come to life.
Highly highly recommend. This is getting added to the favorites shelf!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
April 29, 2026
I did not know what I was diving into reading this book initially. I have varied tastes but usually stick to my typical fantasy romance, and was stretching my legs dabbling in this novel. Wow, it did not disappoint. It was truly unexpected, gripping, and relatable in an abstract way.
You're immersed into a very rural small town in Appalachia, where a woman is drawn back to her hometown to try to find the hidden door to a magical inn she was banished from 20 years ago. During flashbacks, a young woman is trying to make sense of her life, coming to terms with they way she was raised, who her parents are, and the circumstances of her life choices, when she is approached with the opportunity to work at Deerhaven for The Winter Folk. In taking on this contract, she is thrust into another dimension, that can be dark, unexpected and eery at times, met with trying choices, and teetering on the edge of reality all along.
The young adult recounting of her experiences during Deerhaven and in between contracts addresses trauma in a unique and very poignant way. The author truly depicts trauma in such a deep way, especially during her time outside of Deerhaven, which resonated with me, as someone who also has strained relationships.
As someone who tends to read into story building patterns, and can see most endings coming, this story kept me guessing turn after turn. Towards the end, ! could see a few potentials occurring, but overall, was very happy to be surprised.
I can't lie, I think about this book almost daily.
It is eloquently written, immersive, engaging, stressful, touching in a melancholic way, and thought provoking.
You're immersed into a very rural small town in Appalachia, where a woman is drawn back to her hometown to try to find the hidden door to a magical inn she was banished from 20 years ago. During flashbacks, a young woman is trying to make sense of her life, coming to terms with they way she was raised, who her parents are, and the circumstances of her life choices, when she is approached with the opportunity to work at Deerhaven for The Winter Folk. In taking on this contract, she is thrust into another dimension, that can be dark, unexpected and eery at times, met with trying choices, and teetering on the edge of reality all along.
The young adult recounting of her experiences during Deerhaven and in between contracts addresses trauma in a unique and very poignant way. The author truly depicts trauma in such a deep way, especially during her time outside of Deerhaven, which resonated with me, as someone who also has strained relationships.
As someone who tends to read into story building patterns, and can see most endings coming, this story kept me guessing turn after turn. Towards the end, ! could see a few potentials occurring, but overall, was very happy to be surprised.
I can't lie, I think about this book almost daily.
It is eloquently written, immersive, engaging, stressful, touching in a melancholic way, and thought provoking.
July 26, 2026
This was a very mixed experience for me that I think I'd ultimately call a solid 3.5, it was definitely much stronger in the first half and I don't think it really stuck the landing.
What I really liked:
The world of the Winter Folk was stuffed full of interesting details. The imagery was evocative (sometimes very disgustingly so) and the characters were larger than life. The plots there were strange and sometimes scary, but overall quite good. Each guest they met brought with them an entourage of new ideas and strangeness that I really enjoyed.
What didn't work for me:
Anytime we were back in the real world (past or present) it just felt like a contemporary fiction and didn't hold my interest. Even hints of the fantastical all but evaporated and mostly it was a bunch of wallowing and poverty and stagnation. Realistic, but not as much of an enjoyable reading experience for me.
Additionally, I didn't feel like Stoker had truly lived a life, especially not one with her husband and daughter, since so much of her present solely focused on her past. Her present self felt like a ghost or a shell that inhabited the visage of her younger self, but had been sapped of any character.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
What I really liked:
The world of the Winter Folk was stuffed full of interesting details. The imagery was evocative (sometimes very disgustingly so) and the characters were larger than life. The plots there were strange and sometimes scary, but overall quite good. Each guest they met brought with them an entourage of new ideas and strangeness that I really enjoyed.
What didn't work for me:
Anytime we were back in the real world (past or present) it just felt like a contemporary fiction and didn't hold my interest. Even hints of the fantastical all but evaporated and mostly it was a bunch of wallowing and poverty and stagnation. Realistic, but not as much of an enjoyable reading experience for me.
Additionally, I didn't feel like Stoker had truly lived a life, especially not one with her husband and daughter, since so much of her present solely focused on her past. Her present self felt like a ghost or a shell that inhabited the visage of her younger self, but had been sapped of any character.
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
![Profile Image for Jamey [Longhollow.Lore].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1751370206i/7284478._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
July 27, 2026
Appalachian gothic horror was the hook, and I was snared.
Moth's storytelling was so clear, and her POV so well realized, that I truly feel I know her. I can't say we'd be friends, but I see her and understand her perspective. I think that's what I enjoyed most about this story: I wasn't simply rooting for a character—I was experiencing the story through her. Separate.
I'm a fan of fairy tales, and the Appalachian flavor woven into what feels like classic folklore added so much intrigue. It introduced a mythos I want to explore more deeply.
How was Moth tricked into believing the Winter Folk cared for humans? Was it the small kindnesses? The brief moments of stability? I found the humans here to be rather naive, and I suspect that was intentional. After all, who else would follow the fae into their world and willingly be subject to their wiles?
Deerhaven feels magical and terrifying. One single misstep away from a banishment the human mind can't comprehend. After all, our world and theirs are interwoven through portals and doorways. What exists in between? Can we even comprehend it?
Through Moth's experiences, we uncover a legacy I never expected. I kept asking myself, *When?* When will this circle back around, and how? This cycle has to return.
Find out for yourself. And remember... never sign a bargain.
A special thank you to Orbit Books for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Moth's storytelling was so clear, and her POV so well realized, that I truly feel I know her. I can't say we'd be friends, but I see her and understand her perspective. I think that's what I enjoyed most about this story: I wasn't simply rooting for a character—I was experiencing the story through her. Separate.
I'm a fan of fairy tales, and the Appalachian flavor woven into what feels like classic folklore added so much intrigue. It introduced a mythos I want to explore more deeply.
How was Moth tricked into believing the Winter Folk cared for humans? Was it the small kindnesses? The brief moments of stability? I found the humans here to be rather naive, and I suspect that was intentional. After all, who else would follow the fae into their world and willingly be subject to their wiles?
Deerhaven feels magical and terrifying. One single misstep away from a banishment the human mind can't comprehend. After all, our world and theirs are interwoven through portals and doorways. What exists in between? Can we even comprehend it?
Through Moth's experiences, we uncover a legacy I never expected. I kept asking myself, *When?* When will this circle back around, and how? This cycle has to return.
Find out for yourself. And remember... never sign a bargain.
A special thank you to Orbit Books for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 24, 2026
3.5⭐️
Thank you to Orbit Books and Jen Julian for the e-arc in exchange for my review. All opinions are honest and my own.
An Appalachian gothic horror following Moth who secures a housekeeping job at Deerhaven, a secret lodge used as a gathering place for the winter folk. All manner of creatures call this lodge a refuge, but they are dangerous, and Moth and her fellow staff must take care to follow all rules. After all, if she wishes to stay on as assistant to the beautiful host Mr. Oslin, she's going to have to endure some of her most difficult trials. Including one that eventually gets her banished, and has her desperate to find her way back in.
This was such a...interesting? Weird? Cryptic? read...I'm not really sure how to describe it because at times it felt like I was transported into the world of Spirited Away which I absolutely adored, but then it became this very strange romance which to me didn't really fit in the story, and add in all the creatures who I feel like we only saw at surface level. I guess if anything I feel like there is so much more to this story, we only see Deerhaven but it was made to seem there was so much more magic and a plethora of creatures that could be described.
The main plot itself was more interesting in the past than the present, Deerhaven was such a fascinating place to read about and all the characters that called it a temporary home. The present plot with Moth's husband and her daughter just felt like an extra addition that got in the way of finding out more of what happened at Deerhaven, which maybe was the point but I definitely found myself wanting to skip those present chapters.
Overall, this definitely kept me intrigued but I'm not sure it's one I can fully recommend just due to the confusing nature of the story.
Thank you to Orbit Books and Jen Julian for the e-arc in exchange for my review. All opinions are honest and my own.
An Appalachian gothic horror following Moth who secures a housekeeping job at Deerhaven, a secret lodge used as a gathering place for the winter folk. All manner of creatures call this lodge a refuge, but they are dangerous, and Moth and her fellow staff must take care to follow all rules. After all, if she wishes to stay on as assistant to the beautiful host Mr. Oslin, she's going to have to endure some of her most difficult trials. Including one that eventually gets her banished, and has her desperate to find her way back in.
This was such a...interesting? Weird? Cryptic? read...I'm not really sure how to describe it because at times it felt like I was transported into the world of Spirited Away which I absolutely adored, but then it became this very strange romance which to me didn't really fit in the story, and add in all the creatures who I feel like we only saw at surface level. I guess if anything I feel like there is so much more to this story, we only see Deerhaven but it was made to seem there was so much more magic and a plethora of creatures that could be described.
The main plot itself was more interesting in the past than the present, Deerhaven was such a fascinating place to read about and all the characters that called it a temporary home. The present plot with Moth's husband and her daughter just felt like an extra addition that got in the way of finding out more of what happened at Deerhaven, which maybe was the point but I definitely found myself wanting to skip those present chapters.
Overall, this definitely kept me intrigued but I'm not sure it's one I can fully recommend just due to the confusing nature of the story.
July 24, 2026
🎧Pub Week Review🎧
🎧 Narrated by Caroline Hewitt
Wow! I first want to talk about this amazing storyteller!!! @carolineahewitt does a phenomenal job narrating this story. I mean, her voice completely changes for these characters and with accents to boot! It was as if I was hearing a completely different person. This was one of the best audiobooks I’ve ever listened to. I was blown away.
The Winter Folk is totally out of my comfort zone, folks. This reads like a fairy tale but make it twisted and weird.
Every year, the Winter Folk gather at a secret lodge in the Appalachians, a place known only as Deerhaven. Moth has been summoned to work there for the season but with a contract. She’s granted one wish for a winter of service. She agrees.
These creatures were fascinating and creepy at times. There were a few I felt drawn to. I wouldn’t necessarily call this horror, but definitely a creepy fairy tale. I highly enjoyed it and recommend the audiobook.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎧 Narrated by Caroline Hewitt
Wow! I first want to talk about this amazing storyteller!!! @carolineahewitt does a phenomenal job narrating this story. I mean, her voice completely changes for these characters and with accents to boot! It was as if I was hearing a completely different person. This was one of the best audiobooks I’ve ever listened to. I was blown away.
The Winter Folk is totally out of my comfort zone, folks. This reads like a fairy tale but make it twisted and weird.
Every year, the Winter Folk gather at a secret lodge in the Appalachians, a place known only as Deerhaven. Moth has been summoned to work there for the season but with a contract. She’s granted one wish for a winter of service. She agrees.
These creatures were fascinating and creepy at times. There were a few I felt drawn to. I wouldn’t necessarily call this horror, but definitely a creepy fairy tale. I highly enjoyed it and recommend the audiobook.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 27, 2026
How I’d describe it: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe collides with an Appalachian folklore/whimsical horror novel. I traversed this one via audio and the narrator was spectacular. Highly recommend. Very creepy at times and yet melancholic.
Did Not Finish
July 16, 2026DNF 30%
Thank you Orbit Books for the E-arc
Unfortunately, this is not aligning with my expectations based on the marketing.
I wouldn’t even call it horror and the huge majority of what I read she is young and it reads very YA.
All of this has thrown off the vibe.
I was hoping for something like CG Drew’s but make it Appalachian folklore, and this is not hitting the mark in terms of atmosphere or writing style for me.
Thank you Orbit Books for the E-arc
Unfortunately, this is not aligning with my expectations based on the marketing.
I wouldn’t even call it horror and the huge majority of what I read she is young and it reads very YA.
All of this has thrown off the vibe.
I was hoping for something like CG Drew’s but make it Appalachian folklore, and this is not hitting the mark in terms of atmosphere or writing style for me.
July 23, 2026
4/5!
This was COMPLETELY different from my expectations. It felt like a more adult version of Spirited Away to be honest. Which, don't get me wrong, obsessed with that concept, just not what I imagined at all from the description.
This book switches between the past, where the character is part of the "cult" you may say and the present where she is going on vacation with her family.
This felt like more magical realism than horror but I still really liked it! Thank you Run For It for the early copy!!
This was COMPLETELY different from my expectations. It felt like a more adult version of Spirited Away to be honest. Which, don't get me wrong, obsessed with that concept, just not what I imagined at all from the description.
This book switches between the past, where the character is part of the "cult" you may say and the present where she is going on vacation with her family.
This felt like more magical realism than horror but I still really liked it! Thank you Run For It for the early copy!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐ 3.25 stars
The Winter Folk is one of those books that I’m still unpacking after finishing it.
Blending Appalachian folklore, horror, fantasy, and family drama, it creates a strange, dreamlike atmosphere that’s both cozy and unsettling. The setting, folklore, and eerie sense of place kept me invested, and I was intrigued enough to keep turning pages because I genuinely wanted to see where the story was going.
What stood out most was the atmosphere. There’s a constant feeling that something isn’t quite right, and the book does a great job balancing wonder with unease. The themes surrounding family, addiction, generational trauma, and escapism also gave the story emotional depth.
That said, this is a book that leaves a lot open to interpretation. Many of the questions I had by the end felt intentionally unanswered, and the line between what’s real, symbolic, or something in between remains blurry throughout. I can appreciate that ambiguity was a deliberate choice, but I’m not sure it fully worked for me as a reader.
Overall, I enjoyed the journey more than the destination. I was always curious about what would happen next, but when I reached the end, I was left with more uncertainty than satisfaction.
The Winter Folk is one of those books that I’m still unpacking after finishing it.
Blending Appalachian folklore, horror, fantasy, and family drama, it creates a strange, dreamlike atmosphere that’s both cozy and unsettling. The setting, folklore, and eerie sense of place kept me invested, and I was intrigued enough to keep turning pages because I genuinely wanted to see where the story was going.
What stood out most was the atmosphere. There’s a constant feeling that something isn’t quite right, and the book does a great job balancing wonder with unease. The themes surrounding family, addiction, generational trauma, and escapism also gave the story emotional depth.
That said, this is a book that leaves a lot open to interpretation. Many of the questions I had by the end felt intentionally unanswered, and the line between what’s real, symbolic, or something in between remains blurry throughout. I can appreciate that ambiguity was a deliberate choice, but I’m not sure it fully worked for me as a reader.
Overall, I enjoyed the journey more than the destination. I was always curious about what would happen next, but when I reached the end, I was left with more uncertainty than satisfaction.
July 25, 2026
They say some secrets are meant to stay buried, but these three books proved that the truth always finds a way to crawl back to the light. 🪵✨
Lately, I’ve been craving stories that feel like a cold fog rolling in atmospheric, slightly dangerous, and completely unputdownable. I just finished a trio of reads that absolutely nailed that eerie vibe, and I need to talk about them.
First up was Drop Dead Famous by Jennifer Pearson. Wow. Imagine a global pop star dead on stage for her opening act. It’s an immediate, jarring hook. Following her sister Stevie into the toxic, glittering underbelly of fame felt less like a standard thriller and more like walking through a house of mirrors. It’s honest about the ugliness behind celebrity obsession and that ending? It still has me shivering.
Then, I completely lost myself in The Winter Folk by Jen Julian. This one is pure magic realism and folk horror perfection. Set in a secret Appalachian lodge called Deerhaven, it follows Moth, who sells her winter to an antlered host named Mr. Oslin. Julian’s writing is spellbinding; the woods felt like a living creature pressing against the glass. The dual timelines between Moth’s desperate youth and her haunted adulthood built this quiet, suffocating tension that I couldn't escape. It's a slow burn, but it lingers.
Finally, I picked up A Twist in the River by Stig Abell. This is a classic rural mystery but injected with a very modern, eerie paranoia. When a young nurse vanishes by the riverbank, an internet frenzy descends on a quiet countryside town, followed by a body. Watching former detective Jake Jackson try to find peace while the river literally washes up horror was so immersive. It really makes you question how well you know your neighbors.
If you love stories where the setting is just as much a character as the people, you need to add this trio to your TBR immediately.
✨️ Thank you, Run For It, Harper Perennial, and the authors for sharing these books with us!
Lately, I’ve been craving stories that feel like a cold fog rolling in atmospheric, slightly dangerous, and completely unputdownable. I just finished a trio of reads that absolutely nailed that eerie vibe, and I need to talk about them.
First up was Drop Dead Famous by Jennifer Pearson. Wow. Imagine a global pop star dead on stage for her opening act. It’s an immediate, jarring hook. Following her sister Stevie into the toxic, glittering underbelly of fame felt less like a standard thriller and more like walking through a house of mirrors. It’s honest about the ugliness behind celebrity obsession and that ending? It still has me shivering.
Then, I completely lost myself in The Winter Folk by Jen Julian. This one is pure magic realism and folk horror perfection. Set in a secret Appalachian lodge called Deerhaven, it follows Moth, who sells her winter to an antlered host named Mr. Oslin. Julian’s writing is spellbinding; the woods felt like a living creature pressing against the glass. The dual timelines between Moth’s desperate youth and her haunted adulthood built this quiet, suffocating tension that I couldn't escape. It's a slow burn, but it lingers.
Finally, I picked up A Twist in the River by Stig Abell. This is a classic rural mystery but injected with a very modern, eerie paranoia. When a young nurse vanishes by the riverbank, an internet frenzy descends on a quiet countryside town, followed by a body. Watching former detective Jake Jackson try to find peace while the river literally washes up horror was so immersive. It really makes you question how well you know your neighbors.
If you love stories where the setting is just as much a character as the people, you need to add this trio to your TBR immediately.
✨️ Thank you, Run For It, Harper Perennial, and the authors for sharing these books with us!
August 4, 2026
BLEW ME AWAY!!
The Winter Folk by Jen Julian is the darkest kind of folktale that you've been NEEDING to read. It feels forbidden and secretive and BELIEVABLE. The story follows Moth, a woman drawn back to Deerhaven, a secret Appalachian lodge where the mysterious Winter Folk gather each year. Decades earlier, as a struggling college dropout desperate for a better life, Moth accepted an irresistible bargain from the antlered and enigmatic Mr. Oslin: one winter of service as a housekeeper in exchange for a wish. This story follows 3 time periods in Moth's life as she recounts her stays with the enigmatic Mr. Oslin and the terrifying Winter Folk. Moth cannot seem to let the Winter Folk go, but you know as the tension builds that SOMETHING happened. The drive and mystery, made this book truly something that I could not put down. It is compelling and dark and twisted, but also full of light and love and peaceful moments. However, Julian does her job making sure that you know that these moments won't last forever and the darkness is right around the corner.
Deerhaven, our mysterious setting, eventually becomes its own character a while. The lodge feels simultaneously magical, predatory, and impossible to resist. The Winter Folk themselves are fascinating, terrifying, and frequently disgusting in ways readers are going to LOVE learning about. Like any fae folk, you can expect that promises hold weight and consequences are hard to pay off once they have been earned (even if innocently given). And at the center of it all is Moth's obsession with Mr. Oslin, a relationship that gives the entire book this aching, fairy-tale quality that lingers long after you finish. The result is a deeply atmospheric blend of Appalachian gothic horror, dark fantasy, and folklore that feels completely unique. Like Moth, I found myself unable to stop thinking about Deerhaven and wondering what waited behind the next door in the woods.
The Winter Folk by Jen Julian is the darkest kind of folktale that you've been NEEDING to read. It feels forbidden and secretive and BELIEVABLE. The story follows Moth, a woman drawn back to Deerhaven, a secret Appalachian lodge where the mysterious Winter Folk gather each year. Decades earlier, as a struggling college dropout desperate for a better life, Moth accepted an irresistible bargain from the antlered and enigmatic Mr. Oslin: one winter of service as a housekeeper in exchange for a wish. This story follows 3 time periods in Moth's life as she recounts her stays with the enigmatic Mr. Oslin and the terrifying Winter Folk. Moth cannot seem to let the Winter Folk go, but you know as the tension builds that SOMETHING happened. The drive and mystery, made this book truly something that I could not put down. It is compelling and dark and twisted, but also full of light and love and peaceful moments. However, Julian does her job making sure that you know that these moments won't last forever and the darkness is right around the corner.
Deerhaven, our mysterious setting, eventually becomes its own character a while. The lodge feels simultaneously magical, predatory, and impossible to resist. The Winter Folk themselves are fascinating, terrifying, and frequently disgusting in ways readers are going to LOVE learning about. Like any fae folk, you can expect that promises hold weight and consequences are hard to pay off once they have been earned (even if innocently given). And at the center of it all is Moth's obsession with Mr. Oslin, a relationship that gives the entire book this aching, fairy-tale quality that lingers long after you finish. The result is a deeply atmospheric blend of Appalachian gothic horror, dark fantasy, and folklore that feels completely unique. Like Moth, I found myself unable to stop thinking about Deerhaven and wondering what waited behind the next door in the woods.
July 9, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Books for the opportunity to read this arc!
As a born and raised Appalachian girlie, when I saw this Appalachian horror novel I knew I needed it immediately. Within the first few pages I just had a feeling that this novel is based locally to me. Turns out, the author is local to me! That being said, this story just felt like home to me. The Winter Folk is a dark fantasy gothic rooted in folklore. It follows Moth, renamed by the local cryptid Deerman known to steal women’s souls, as she reminisces on her past and tries to find connection to her home as an adult. Moth (Vera) and her family are visiting her hometown that she has been estranged from for nearly two decades, and she is trying to find her way back to a place that served as “home” to her in her early twenties. Growing up, Moth has a flaky dad and a sketchy mom, and her life begins falling apart for her after flunking out of college. She is offered a job by the Deerman, Mr. Oslin, to be a housekeeper for the seasonal winter lodge called Deerhaven. Deerhaven is a dangerous place located in a blip in time between her world and the Winter Folk’s world. After her first season working, Deerhaven and the people there begin to feel like home to Moth, despite the danger to her life she has encountered. As a young adult, she decides she wants to stay there forever and run Deerhaven alongside Mr. Oslin. However, things really are not as they seem. Moth finds herself banished from Deerhaven in her third season, and is searching for a way back to save her beloved Host after twenty years. The Winter Folk is a story of survival, found family, and love, as well as generational trauma. It is a reminder that some things from the past just don’t stay buried.
As a born and raised Appalachian girlie, when I saw this Appalachian horror novel I knew I needed it immediately. Within the first few pages I just had a feeling that this novel is based locally to me. Turns out, the author is local to me! That being said, this story just felt like home to me. The Winter Folk is a dark fantasy gothic rooted in folklore. It follows Moth, renamed by the local cryptid Deerman known to steal women’s souls, as she reminisces on her past and tries to find connection to her home as an adult. Moth (Vera) and her family are visiting her hometown that she has been estranged from for nearly two decades, and she is trying to find her way back to a place that served as “home” to her in her early twenties. Growing up, Moth has a flaky dad and a sketchy mom, and her life begins falling apart for her after flunking out of college. She is offered a job by the Deerman, Mr. Oslin, to be a housekeeper for the seasonal winter lodge called Deerhaven. Deerhaven is a dangerous place located in a blip in time between her world and the Winter Folk’s world. After her first season working, Deerhaven and the people there begin to feel like home to Moth, despite the danger to her life she has encountered. As a young adult, she decides she wants to stay there forever and run Deerhaven alongside Mr. Oslin. However, things really are not as they seem. Moth finds herself banished from Deerhaven in her third season, and is searching for a way back to save her beloved Host after twenty years. The Winter Folk is a story of survival, found family, and love, as well as generational trauma. It is a reminder that some things from the past just don’t stay buried.
July 22, 2026
This book is unlike any other I have read as an appalachian horror and I loved every word of it! I received an ARC epub and I have now ordered a physical copy shelf trophy because I loved it so much. It has this great blend of old world folk stories with a fabulous twist. It asks if you could escape your life to serve the old gods, would you? And what could you expect to happen? What if you were ripped back from that fantastical life, how would you cope? What I loved most about this book was the pacing, it stayed solidly captivating throughout and I sincerely escaped reality within the pages!
Thank-you, Orbit Books and Jen Julian, for this complimentary copy. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Thank-you, Orbit Books and Jen Julian, for this complimentary copy. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
July 22, 2026
3.75 stars
This book was weird but in a good way.
I think my review/ opinion on this book may be a bit skewed as this was marketed to me as a horror novel but it is in no way a horror novel.
I wanted something genuinely spooky and haunting but this book is not that.
HOWEVER I ended up enjoying it and I think I would have liked it even more if it had been marketed for what it is. Which is a suspenseful weird little tale relying heavily on Appalachian folklore. It’s definitely more fantasy than horror
It gives the vibes of spirited away but more adult, a little more gritty and crude.
If youre in the mood for a weird little Appalachian tale, this is the book for you.
This book was weird but in a good way.
I think my review/ opinion on this book may be a bit skewed as this was marketed to me as a horror novel but it is in no way a horror novel.
I wanted something genuinely spooky and haunting but this book is not that.
HOWEVER I ended up enjoying it and I think I would have liked it even more if it had been marketed for what it is. Which is a suspenseful weird little tale relying heavily on Appalachian folklore. It’s definitely more fantasy than horror
It gives the vibes of spirited away but more adult, a little more gritty and crude.
If youre in the mood for a weird little Appalachian tale, this is the book for you.
Did Not Finish
July 21, 2026this is so freaking creepy. i need to try reading it again at a later date!!
July 23, 2026
It's like a fever dream! when someone talks about
Appalachian lore, THIS is how I imagined it to be. It's strange, wonderful, and seductive. The parts are almost episodic.
Each part is an escalation of horror that will keep you reading til the story is done with you.
Appalachian lore, THIS is how I imagined it to be. It's strange, wonderful, and seductive. The parts are almost episodic.
Each part is an escalation of horror that will keep you reading til the story is done with you.
August 1, 2026
I had a great time reading this. It has such a whimsical language surrounding harrowing topics
Did Not Finish
August 3, 2026DNF at 63%. Story seemed pointless.
Did Not Finish
August 5, 2026The writing style wasn’t for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Real Rating: 4.5* of five
The Publisher Says: A woman returns to the mysterious lodge in the woods where she once worked, and to the inscrutable creature that bound her there, in this haunting Appalachian gothic horror from singular voice Jen Julian. Perfect for fans of Alix E. Harrow and T. Kingfisher.
This is the story of Moth, who earned her name working for the Winter Folk.
Every year, the Winter Folk gather at a secret lodge in the Appalachians, a place known as Deerhaven, refuge for the time-worn and weary. As a child, Moth heard warnings from her mother: They are heartless, wild creatures—and they got no concern of us. At twenty-one, Moth is a college dropout, indebted, impoverished, and desperate for better things. She falls instantly for Deerhaven’s beautiful antlered host, the mild-mannered Mr. Oslin. When he offers her a housekeeper’s contract—one wish granted for a winter of service—she signs without question.
But Deerhaven is a dangerous place. Staff must follow strict rules or else face dire consequences, and the guests can be unpredictable and savage. And yet, Moth endures, enticed by a rumor that Mr. Oslin is looking for a protégé. A singular worker who would stay with him forever and be transformed.
Decades later, Moth returns to Appalachia with her husband and teenage daughter. She can't shake the feeling that she needs to return to Deerhaven, which banished her twenty years ago. As she hunts for a way in, her haunting memories and harrowing experiences come roaring back—her friends and rivals, her growing obsession with Mr. Oslin, and her mysterious exile.
A door exists in the dark of the woods. After so long away, what has Deerhaven become?
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: In fiction, one must always have a fine balace between questions answered, questions unanswered, and unanswerable problems. Without something in the story that feels...unfinished, there's no place for the reader to put their own experiences onto the read. If there are unanswered questions, things the author sets up as needing reolution that aren't resolved, they'd best be finely calculated to invite a sequel. My ur-text for doing this balancing act well is Lord of the Rings. Yes, *I* said something noce about a story I really disliked reading. It left the Problem of Evil unresolved, as indeed is reality's unresolved Big Question; but the plot-driving questions? All resolved to varying degrees of finality. It is genius storytelling. (I still hate it, but credit where it's due.)
On the other end is A Song of Ice and Fire. I don't feel the need to elaborate. Trillions of pixels arranged in uncountable patterns are out there reflecting fans' emotional responses to an incomplete story. Fans are still spouting off about the various issues, the creator is not doing much to calm them down, so on the noise goes.
Here's a story, with a fundamentally unresolvable conflict underpinning it, resolvable conflicts skinned over it, and some left-unfinished business that invites a sequel or two, that doesn't quite scale heights of genius but does plant the author's story-flag atop a hill.
The setting is Appalachia, which is US-cultural shorthand for "the Shire," that pre- or de-industrial landscape of natural beauty, peopled by rustics, rife with quaint folk who *indulgent smile* accept magic is real. I find that more than mildly insulting acceped as a storytelling given, but it's there, it works, and it's not factually incorrect just because it's insulting. It is not used condescendingly in Author Jen Julian's hands, so I'm not bristling at her, but at the stereotyping that allows this perception to go unchallenged.
Author Julian's story of Moth's life lived in two mutually exclusive worlds, magical and mundane, is one she could not have told as well absent this stereotype. Moth will always be Moth despite being born Vera. Think a moment about the root of the name "Vera," and her destiny is unlocked. (Go read, I'm going to assume you got the point and move on.) Moth is, and isn't, Vera. Like all those who are transformed by contact with magic, the life Moth leads after her time in Deerhaven is much like the lives lead by post-Garden Adam and Eve. She knows now what it costs to See Beyond (caps very intentional for context) when Vision is...removed, denied, forbidden...after being granted. How she will always, always have Heimweh for a state of being that can only exist in a place that is inaccessible now you've left it.
Don't put too much weight on Vera's last name being "Stoker." It can best be seen as a marker of her otherness and not as an invitation to horror and bloody violence. Moth, being returned to "Vera" and mundanity, can't stop being aware of her lack, loss, denied state. It's achieved by very unshowy means, in word choices for Moth and later for Vera that convey different emotional registers. It's not something that will hit you in the face but a dawning awareness, a thing that stays just outside your field of vision until you see it then you don't unsee it as it organizes the read anew.
Vera and Moth belong to different worlds. They have some memories in common; they know a few of the same people and carry some of the same baggage from bruising, painful shifts in their life; but in the end Vera can only be Vera or Moth in those lives, in those mutually exclusive worlds.
Do you need a better explanation for the experience of growth as a person?
It's a read I can see taking on a life bigger than its basis if and when the zeitgeist aligns with it. I hope for Author Julian's sake that happens now, propelling her into prominence she has the talent to support. I seriously hope she has or acquires the skills to survive it.
The Publisher Says: A woman returns to the mysterious lodge in the woods where she once worked, and to the inscrutable creature that bound her there, in this haunting Appalachian gothic horror from singular voice Jen Julian. Perfect for fans of Alix E. Harrow and T. Kingfisher.
This is the story of Moth, who earned her name working for the Winter Folk.
Every year, the Winter Folk gather at a secret lodge in the Appalachians, a place known as Deerhaven, refuge for the time-worn and weary. As a child, Moth heard warnings from her mother: They are heartless, wild creatures—and they got no concern of us. At twenty-one, Moth is a college dropout, indebted, impoverished, and desperate for better things. She falls instantly for Deerhaven’s beautiful antlered host, the mild-mannered Mr. Oslin. When he offers her a housekeeper’s contract—one wish granted for a winter of service—she signs without question.
But Deerhaven is a dangerous place. Staff must follow strict rules or else face dire consequences, and the guests can be unpredictable and savage. And yet, Moth endures, enticed by a rumor that Mr. Oslin is looking for a protégé. A singular worker who would stay with him forever and be transformed.
Decades later, Moth returns to Appalachia with her husband and teenage daughter. She can't shake the feeling that she needs to return to Deerhaven, which banished her twenty years ago. As she hunts for a way in, her haunting memories and harrowing experiences come roaring back—her friends and rivals, her growing obsession with Mr. Oslin, and her mysterious exile.
A door exists in the dark of the woods. After so long away, what has Deerhaven become?
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.
My Review: In fiction, one must always have a fine balace between questions answered, questions unanswered, and unanswerable problems. Without something in the story that feels...unfinished, there's no place for the reader to put their own experiences onto the read. If there are unanswered questions, things the author sets up as needing reolution that aren't resolved, they'd best be finely calculated to invite a sequel. My ur-text for doing this balancing act well is Lord of the Rings. Yes, *I* said something noce about a story I really disliked reading. It left the Problem of Evil unresolved, as indeed is reality's unresolved Big Question; but the plot-driving questions? All resolved to varying degrees of finality. It is genius storytelling. (I still hate it, but credit where it's due.)
On the other end is A Song of Ice and Fire. I don't feel the need to elaborate. Trillions of pixels arranged in uncountable patterns are out there reflecting fans' emotional responses to an incomplete story. Fans are still spouting off about the various issues, the creator is not doing much to calm them down, so on the noise goes.
Here's a story, with a fundamentally unresolvable conflict underpinning it, resolvable conflicts skinned over it, and some left-unfinished business that invites a sequel or two, that doesn't quite scale heights of genius but does plant the author's story-flag atop a hill.
The setting is Appalachia, which is US-cultural shorthand for "the Shire," that pre- or de-industrial landscape of natural beauty, peopled by rustics, rife with quaint folk who *indulgent smile* accept magic is real. I find that more than mildly insulting acceped as a storytelling given, but it's there, it works, and it's not factually incorrect just because it's insulting. It is not used condescendingly in Author Jen Julian's hands, so I'm not bristling at her, but at the stereotyping that allows this perception to go unchallenged.
Author Julian's story of Moth's life lived in two mutually exclusive worlds, magical and mundane, is one she could not have told as well absent this stereotype. Moth will always be Moth despite being born Vera. Think a moment about the root of the name "Vera," and her destiny is unlocked. (Go read, I'm going to assume you got the point and move on.) Moth is, and isn't, Vera. Like all those who are transformed by contact with magic, the life Moth leads after her time in Deerhaven is much like the lives lead by post-Garden Adam and Eve. She knows now what it costs to See Beyond (caps very intentional for context) when Vision is...removed, denied, forbidden...after being granted. How she will always, always have Heimweh for a state of being that can only exist in a place that is inaccessible now you've left it.
Don't put too much weight on Vera's last name being "Stoker." It can best be seen as a marker of her otherness and not as an invitation to horror and bloody violence. Moth, being returned to "Vera" and mundanity, can't stop being aware of her lack, loss, denied state. It's achieved by very unshowy means, in word choices for Moth and later for Vera that convey different emotional registers. It's not something that will hit you in the face but a dawning awareness, a thing that stays just outside your field of vision until you see it then you don't unsee it as it organizes the read anew.
Vera and Moth belong to different worlds. They have some memories in common; they know a few of the same people and carry some of the same baggage from bruising, painful shifts in their life; but in the end Vera can only be Vera or Moth in those lives, in those mutually exclusive worlds.
Do you need a better explanation for the experience of growth as a person?
It's a read I can see taking on a life bigger than its basis if and when the zeitgeist aligns with it. I hope for Author Julian's sake that happens now, propelling her into prominence she has the talent to support. I seriously hope she has or acquires the skills to survive it.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2026/07/13/re...
My Five Word TL:DR Review: I Really Enjoyed This Story
The Winter Folk is a book that I liked even more than I anticipated. Don’t get me wrong, when I requested this I was immediately drawn in by the description ‘haunting Appalachian gothic horror ‘ – that was the absolute hook for me, I didn’t really know what to expect from the story though and I picked it up with very little knowledge other than it is a story involving the Winter Folk and a lodge known as Deerhaven.
This is basically the story of ‘Moth’. We have two timelines, in one we meet Vera, who will later be named Moth for her time working at Deerhaven and then a jump forward when Vera is now married with a daughter of her own and her husband knows her as ‘Stoker’.
Now, firstly, I will say that I’m an absolute pushover for anything gothic, add in the Appalacian setting and the fae and top it off with some wonderfully easy to read prose and you can pretty much call me a pig in mud. This book is, to all intents and purposes, hypnotic. I was totally in its thrall and enjoyed every minute I spent walking in Moth’s footsteps.
Let me elaborate on everything that worked so well for me.
The writing really is lovely. I could wallow around and soak in this writing all day long. It’s not overly verbose but sets the scene with almost casual indifference. Everything springs to life off the page and the creativity on display is simply spot on. Jen Julian manages to pull you into a world where everything is different, and strange, and a bit intimidating. She creates a fantastically tense atmosphere and, probably because you’re jumping back and forth, there is obviously some forewarning of things to come and the fact that Moth is going to get into trouble of one sort or another leaves you with this uneasy taste in your mouth as you wait for everything to go wrong. It’s compellingly unsettling.
Now, in her backstory, Moth soon makes it fairly clear that she didn’t have the best childhood or the most doting of parents. Quite the opposite in fact. Her mother’s only nod to care or affection for her daughter is the stories she tells about the forest. Kind of like tales of warning. Other than that she’s practically indifferent to her daughter and her father is absent – having taken himself off to live alone in the forest. So, Moth grows up in a home environment that is far from loving and nurturing. And this all feels linked to her coming to the notice of ‘the winter folk’. Like they zone in on unhappiness and neglect. The people they choose to work at the lodge all have stories that paint quite unhappy pictures of their home lives. Alongside this is, for me, what felt like a focus on mental health issues. The fae deliberately choose people who are at a low point, then these chosen people become almost enamoured by having been chosen, and it’s all incredibly addictive. They say they won’t return to the lodge because its dangerous, life threatening to be honest, and yet they always find excuses to return.
In terms of characters. I liked Moth, although she can be quite difficult to like at times. I liked that she comes across as quite pragmatic when dealing with the Others. She is rather besotted by the antlered man who runs the lodge and in fact this becomes a source of jealousy and a real bone of contention with two of the other workers at the lodge that have become good friends. What starts as a real feeling of camaraderie eventually turns sour as the three begin to backstab and bicker only to find out at the last minute how very sorry they are for letting their friendship take such a wrong turn.
The fae here are scary. They are meddlesome and tricksy. They’re not the disney version of fae but more your basic horror story. They wear facades to cover their true identities and drop hints of things to come, enticing the staff and making them believe in possibilities that are little more than smoke and mirrors.
I can say that I preferred the backstory elements to the more contemporary timeline although I do think it was well written and intriguing by way of the difficult relationship that Moth (Stoker) now experiences with her own daughter. In this timeline she feels like a shadow of herself almost. Like she isn’t really present. This element was kind of bittersweet because although her life has moved on she still hankers after this time from her past, she thinks of herself as Moth and she even contrives a holiday to return to the woods to try and secretly find a way back into the lodge even though she was explicitly banned. It made me feel sad for her because she never really moved on and the relationship she has with her husband feels empty somehow. That being said, she is fiercely protective of her daughter as becomes apparent when things take a drastic turn.
I did have one stumbling block with this and that’s the ending. It feels rushed, comparatively speaking. I found myself having to go back over it and even now I feel like I’m missing something fundamental. Which isn’t to say that its a bad ending, I don’t really know how to vocalise what I’m feeling to be honest and I have felt myself going over the events in my head since I finished. I would like more from this world and so on one hand the ending makes me hope that a return to the Winter Folk could very well be a possibility. But, on the other hand, the ending also makes me think that the author is pushing you to form your own conclusions, she’s given you a few breadcrumbs and now you can take yourself off and contemplate.
In conclusion, I shall be watching this author with keen interest. I really enjoyed this and can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4.5 of 5 stars
https://lynns-books.com/2026/07/13/re...
My Five Word TL:DR Review: I Really Enjoyed This Story
The Winter Folk is a book that I liked even more than I anticipated. Don’t get me wrong, when I requested this I was immediately drawn in by the description ‘haunting Appalachian gothic horror ‘ – that was the absolute hook for me, I didn’t really know what to expect from the story though and I picked it up with very little knowledge other than it is a story involving the Winter Folk and a lodge known as Deerhaven.
This is basically the story of ‘Moth’. We have two timelines, in one we meet Vera, who will later be named Moth for her time working at Deerhaven and then a jump forward when Vera is now married with a daughter of her own and her husband knows her as ‘Stoker’.
Now, firstly, I will say that I’m an absolute pushover for anything gothic, add in the Appalacian setting and the fae and top it off with some wonderfully easy to read prose and you can pretty much call me a pig in mud. This book is, to all intents and purposes, hypnotic. I was totally in its thrall and enjoyed every minute I spent walking in Moth’s footsteps.
Let me elaborate on everything that worked so well for me.
The writing really is lovely. I could wallow around and soak in this writing all day long. It’s not overly verbose but sets the scene with almost casual indifference. Everything springs to life off the page and the creativity on display is simply spot on. Jen Julian manages to pull you into a world where everything is different, and strange, and a bit intimidating. She creates a fantastically tense atmosphere and, probably because you’re jumping back and forth, there is obviously some forewarning of things to come and the fact that Moth is going to get into trouble of one sort or another leaves you with this uneasy taste in your mouth as you wait for everything to go wrong. It’s compellingly unsettling.
Now, in her backstory, Moth soon makes it fairly clear that she didn’t have the best childhood or the most doting of parents. Quite the opposite in fact. Her mother’s only nod to care or affection for her daughter is the stories she tells about the forest. Kind of like tales of warning. Other than that she’s practically indifferent to her daughter and her father is absent – having taken himself off to live alone in the forest. So, Moth grows up in a home environment that is far from loving and nurturing. And this all feels linked to her coming to the notice of ‘the winter folk’. Like they zone in on unhappiness and neglect. The people they choose to work at the lodge all have stories that paint quite unhappy pictures of their home lives. Alongside this is, for me, what felt like a focus on mental health issues. The fae deliberately choose people who are at a low point, then these chosen people become almost enamoured by having been chosen, and it’s all incredibly addictive. They say they won’t return to the lodge because its dangerous, life threatening to be honest, and yet they always find excuses to return.
In terms of characters. I liked Moth, although she can be quite difficult to like at times. I liked that she comes across as quite pragmatic when dealing with the Others. She is rather besotted by the antlered man who runs the lodge and in fact this becomes a source of jealousy and a real bone of contention with two of the other workers at the lodge that have become good friends. What starts as a real feeling of camaraderie eventually turns sour as the three begin to backstab and bicker only to find out at the last minute how very sorry they are for letting their friendship take such a wrong turn.
The fae here are scary. They are meddlesome and tricksy. They’re not the disney version of fae but more your basic horror story. They wear facades to cover their true identities and drop hints of things to come, enticing the staff and making them believe in possibilities that are little more than smoke and mirrors.
I can say that I preferred the backstory elements to the more contemporary timeline although I do think it was well written and intriguing by way of the difficult relationship that Moth (Stoker) now experiences with her own daughter. In this timeline she feels like a shadow of herself almost. Like she isn’t really present. This element was kind of bittersweet because although her life has moved on she still hankers after this time from her past, she thinks of herself as Moth and she even contrives a holiday to return to the woods to try and secretly find a way back into the lodge even though she was explicitly banned. It made me feel sad for her because she never really moved on and the relationship she has with her husband feels empty somehow. That being said, she is fiercely protective of her daughter as becomes apparent when things take a drastic turn.
I did have one stumbling block with this and that’s the ending. It feels rushed, comparatively speaking. I found myself having to go back over it and even now I feel like I’m missing something fundamental. Which isn’t to say that its a bad ending, I don’t really know how to vocalise what I’m feeling to be honest and I have felt myself going over the events in my head since I finished. I would like more from this world and so on one hand the ending makes me hope that a return to the Winter Folk could very well be a possibility. But, on the other hand, the ending also makes me think that the author is pushing you to form your own conclusions, she’s given you a few breadcrumbs and now you can take yourself off and contemplate.
In conclusion, I shall be watching this author with keen interest. I really enjoyed this and can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publisher, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.
My rating 4.5 of 5 stars
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Net Galley and Orbit Books for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A grown up Spirited Away meets Appalachian folk tales.
This was excellent. A genuine ruin-your-sleep-schedule kind of book. I’ve finally found a book that makes me regret reading ARCs, because it means that I can’t tell my friends to go out and buit it *immediately*.
The story: The inescapability of rural Appalachian poverty. The allure of the fae folk, with all their power and danger. The desperation born of feeling like somewhere along the way, you missed your chance.
Our protagonist is Moth (or Vera, or Stoker, she wears and sheds her names like a selkie with her skin throughout the story), the daughter of possibly schizophrenic artist mother and an emotionally distant wildlife biologist father in rural Appalachia. She grows up on stories of the “Winter Folk”, which mostly revolve around how dangerous they are to deal with. But as her home life grows worse and her attempts to leave her hometown for good end in disappointment, she finds herself accepting a deal with them anyway. For the winter months she works as a housekeeper at Deerhaven, a vacation lodge for the Winter Folk, in exchange for a boon of her choosing.
At Deerhaven, Moth finds a sense of identity and pride as a member of the staff. She makes her first real friends. But she’s also exposed to horrors beyond human comprehension—guests with horrifying afflictions and little regard for the mortal staff, endless wastelands of lost things, and inscrutable rules that threaten dire consequences for even the mildest transgression.
One of the joys of this book is the way it balances the fantastical with the mundane. Deerhaven is appropriately bizarre for a pocket dimension created and ruled by magical creatures, but the messes that Moth finds herself in the midst of are all too human. The staff at Deerhaven are all human, and are kept in bondage in their contracts more by their own desperation and desires than by magic (at least at first.) Moth herself is deeply flawed—she makes impulsive decisions, blows opportunities, and screws over her friends with varying degree of intentionality. She is born to parents that are by turns neglectful and manipulative, she herself grows up to be a dedicated but far-less-than-perfect mother herself, exploring how the cycle of abuse gets passed down generations. But she’s also deeply heroic as well. The book shows over and over again that she contains a deep well of love, compassion, and bravery, and that turns her into the kind of protagonist that you always root for, even though sometimes you’re a little scared to turn the page to see what she’ll do next.
If I have one criticism of the novel, it is relating to the ending. The way the story concludes is satisfying enough, but I thought it is less strong than the preceding 90% of the book. I won’t go into specifics due to spoilers, but the final climax focused more of its time elements of the story I found less interesting, and didn’t provide much of a window into the elements that I found most compelling. Jen Julian does land the plane, though not without a few bumps.
Overwhelmingly, The Winter Folk left me wanting more. I wanted more seasons of Moth working at Deerhaven, more time with Birch and Crow, more of a window into Moth’s relationship with her own daughter and husband in the current day. But I imagine Moth herself feels quite the same way. She spends the entire book yearning for one more glimpse of the fae world, and at the end of the story I yearned for that too.
4.5 / 5 stars.
A grown up Spirited Away meets Appalachian folk tales.
This was excellent. A genuine ruin-your-sleep-schedule kind of book. I’ve finally found a book that makes me regret reading ARCs, because it means that I can’t tell my friends to go out and buit it *immediately*.
The story: The inescapability of rural Appalachian poverty. The allure of the fae folk, with all their power and danger. The desperation born of feeling like somewhere along the way, you missed your chance.
Our protagonist is Moth (or Vera, or Stoker, she wears and sheds her names like a selkie with her skin throughout the story), the daughter of possibly schizophrenic artist mother and an emotionally distant wildlife biologist father in rural Appalachia. She grows up on stories of the “Winter Folk”, which mostly revolve around how dangerous they are to deal with. But as her home life grows worse and her attempts to leave her hometown for good end in disappointment, she finds herself accepting a deal with them anyway. For the winter months she works as a housekeeper at Deerhaven, a vacation lodge for the Winter Folk, in exchange for a boon of her choosing.
At Deerhaven, Moth finds a sense of identity and pride as a member of the staff. She makes her first real friends. But she’s also exposed to horrors beyond human comprehension—guests with horrifying afflictions and little regard for the mortal staff, endless wastelands of lost things, and inscrutable rules that threaten dire consequences for even the mildest transgression.
One of the joys of this book is the way it balances the fantastical with the mundane. Deerhaven is appropriately bizarre for a pocket dimension created and ruled by magical creatures, but the messes that Moth finds herself in the midst of are all too human. The staff at Deerhaven are all human, and are kept in bondage in their contracts more by their own desperation and desires than by magic (at least at first.) Moth herself is deeply flawed—she makes impulsive decisions, blows opportunities, and screws over her friends with varying degree of intentionality. She is born to parents that are by turns neglectful and manipulative, she herself grows up to be a dedicated but far-less-than-perfect mother herself, exploring how the cycle of abuse gets passed down generations. But she’s also deeply heroic as well. The book shows over and over again that she contains a deep well of love, compassion, and bravery, and that turns her into the kind of protagonist that you always root for, even though sometimes you’re a little scared to turn the page to see what she’ll do next.
If I have one criticism of the novel, it is relating to the ending. The way the story concludes is satisfying enough, but I thought it is less strong than the preceding 90% of the book. I won’t go into specifics due to spoilers, but the final climax focused more of its time elements of the story I found less interesting, and didn’t provide much of a window into the elements that I found most compelling. Jen Julian does land the plane, though not without a few bumps.
Overwhelmingly, The Winter Folk left me wanting more. I wanted more seasons of Moth working at Deerhaven, more time with Birch and Crow, more of a window into Moth’s relationship with her own daughter and husband in the current day. But I imagine Moth herself feels quite the same way. She spends the entire book yearning for one more glimpse of the fae world, and at the end of the story I yearned for that too.
4.5 / 5 stars.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A door exists in the dark of the woods. After so long away, what has Deerhaven become?
I can’t really put my finger on it, but there was something undeniably enchanting about The Winter Folk. Jen Julian creates an Appalachian gothic that is equal parts eerie folktale, dark fairy tale, and quiet character study, and from the moment Deerhaven appeared on the page, I never wanted to leave. Which is a crazy thing to say considering this is a gothic horror fantasy genre mash up, but I kind of liked it?
The atmosphere is easily this book’s greatest strength. Deerhaven is strange, unsettling, and weirdly, impossibly magical. It’s a place governed by ancient rules, dangerous bargains, and creatures that are as fascinating as they are terrifying. See what I mean by it’s a little crazy that I kinda want to live in Deerhaven? It’s creepy, but it’s also whimsical. Julian’s prose is richly descriptive without feeling overwrought, making every snowy forest, shadowy room, and uncanny guest come alive. The world feels as though it’s existed for centuries, like this is a story that’s been whispered around campfires and passed down through generations. It felt strangely familiar.
”Any word you speak, he'll catch it and keep it, and if he turns his head to the side, and you see the white of his eye, you're as good as gone."
I also loved the way the novel explores found family, grief, trauma, and the longing to belong somewhere. Moth is a deeply flawed protagonist whose desperation to return to Deerhaven is heartbreaking, even when her choices are frustrating. The dual timeline slowly peels back her past, building suspense while revealing how profoundly her time with the Winter Folk shaped her life. I found myself constantly wanting to know just one more piece of the puzzle which definitely kept me reading.
The supporting cast was another highlight. Whether human or something far more mysterious, every character added another layer to Deerhaven’s mythology, and I especially appreciated how the relationships blurred the line between comfort and danger. That constant uncertainty made the story feel wonderfully unsettling.
The only reason this wasn’t quite a five-star read for me was the ending. It left me wanting a bit more resolution after such a mesmerizing journey. A few character arcs and lingering mysteries felt more open-ended than I would have liked, and I finished the book wishing I’d had just a little more time in this world. Even so, The Winter Folk is a beautifully written blend of Appalachian folklore, gothic fantasy, and quiet horror. If you enjoy atmospheric stories with haunting folklore, uncanny magic, morally ambiguous creatures, and settings that feel like characters themselves, this is absolutely worth picking up. I really enjoyed this!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit/Run For It for this eARC!
I can’t really put my finger on it, but there was something undeniably enchanting about The Winter Folk. Jen Julian creates an Appalachian gothic that is equal parts eerie folktale, dark fairy tale, and quiet character study, and from the moment Deerhaven appeared on the page, I never wanted to leave. Which is a crazy thing to say considering this is a gothic horror fantasy genre mash up, but I kind of liked it?
The atmosphere is easily this book’s greatest strength. Deerhaven is strange, unsettling, and weirdly, impossibly magical. It’s a place governed by ancient rules, dangerous bargains, and creatures that are as fascinating as they are terrifying. See what I mean by it’s a little crazy that I kinda want to live in Deerhaven? It’s creepy, but it’s also whimsical. Julian’s prose is richly descriptive without feeling overwrought, making every snowy forest, shadowy room, and uncanny guest come alive. The world feels as though it’s existed for centuries, like this is a story that’s been whispered around campfires and passed down through generations. It felt strangely familiar.
”Any word you speak, he'll catch it and keep it, and if he turns his head to the side, and you see the white of his eye, you're as good as gone."
I also loved the way the novel explores found family, grief, trauma, and the longing to belong somewhere. Moth is a deeply flawed protagonist whose desperation to return to Deerhaven is heartbreaking, even when her choices are frustrating. The dual timeline slowly peels back her past, building suspense while revealing how profoundly her time with the Winter Folk shaped her life. I found myself constantly wanting to know just one more piece of the puzzle which definitely kept me reading.
The supporting cast was another highlight. Whether human or something far more mysterious, every character added another layer to Deerhaven’s mythology, and I especially appreciated how the relationships blurred the line between comfort and danger. That constant uncertainty made the story feel wonderfully unsettling.
The only reason this wasn’t quite a five-star read for me was the ending. It left me wanting a bit more resolution after such a mesmerizing journey. A few character arcs and lingering mysteries felt more open-ended than I would have liked, and I finished the book wishing I’d had just a little more time in this world. Even so, The Winter Folk is a beautifully written blend of Appalachian folklore, gothic fantasy, and quiet horror. If you enjoy atmospheric stories with haunting folklore, uncanny magic, morally ambiguous creatures, and settings that feel like characters themselves, this is absolutely worth picking up. I really enjoyed this!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit/Run For It for this eARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In some ways this is a story about found family and connecting with others, but in others it’s about escapism and survival. On one side we have a girl who has not felt connected to her family in a very long time and is currently struggling to find her place in life, and on the other side we have the same girl finding a place she’d like to call home — but that place is tinged with horror and governed by rules and beings that she is not fully knowledgeable of. It’s a story that has both realistic family drama as well as life-threatening adventures (for lack of a better word) in a fantasy world where few actually care about the safety of human lives.
I really enjoyed the pacing here and found the story really easy to fall into. This is definitely one of those novels that grabbed my attention from the very beginning! The prose flowed well and the alternating timelines were presented in a way that made sense and was easy to follow. I’d say that the present day timeline being sprinkled in throughout the novel really helped build up some tension and curiosity that made me want to keep on reading so I could figure out exactly what happened next in Moth’s backstory.
I also have to say that Jen Julian did a fantastic job of introducing the world around Deerhaven and the enigmatic guests that resided there — the worldbuilding felt very natural and never felt like a big infodump that I needed to take time to sit back and process. As the reader I felt like I was discovering everything I really needed to know alongside Moth, who was also entering the world of Deerhaven completely blind. The atmosphere crafted here manages to be eerie but also comforting at times, which sounds like an odd paradox but it definitely works in this case. There’s also a rather unique cast of characters here with the majority of them really managing to stand out and be memorable, despite some of them only getting a handful of mentions throughout.
If you’re a fan of atmospheric stories that blend reality with fantasy, and don’t mind having some gothic horror elements thrown into the mix, then I highly recommend you pick this one up! It really was a story that managed to feel both unique and familiar at the same time and I’m very glad I took a chance on it.
(I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher, Run For It, via NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.)
I really enjoyed the pacing here and found the story really easy to fall into. This is definitely one of those novels that grabbed my attention from the very beginning! The prose flowed well and the alternating timelines were presented in a way that made sense and was easy to follow. I’d say that the present day timeline being sprinkled in throughout the novel really helped build up some tension and curiosity that made me want to keep on reading so I could figure out exactly what happened next in Moth’s backstory.
I also have to say that Jen Julian did a fantastic job of introducing the world around Deerhaven and the enigmatic guests that resided there — the worldbuilding felt very natural and never felt like a big infodump that I needed to take time to sit back and process. As the reader I felt like I was discovering everything I really needed to know alongside Moth, who was also entering the world of Deerhaven completely blind. The atmosphere crafted here manages to be eerie but also comforting at times, which sounds like an odd paradox but it definitely works in this case. There’s also a rather unique cast of characters here with the majority of them really managing to stand out and be memorable, despite some of them only getting a handful of mentions throughout.
If you’re a fan of atmospheric stories that blend reality with fantasy, and don’t mind having some gothic horror elements thrown into the mix, then I highly recommend you pick this one up! It really was a story that managed to feel both unique and familiar at the same time and I’m very glad I took a chance on it.
(I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher, Run For It, via NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5 stars rounded up
Let me start out by saying this book is extremely well written and the story is good! The story definitely felt like it had some elements of Spirited Away, which I enjoyed. There was a lot to like about this book; Moth's interactions with the guests at Deerhaven, Deerhaven itself was very interesting, and I did grow to like the friendship that blossomed between Moth, Birch, and Crow.
Additionally I also enjoyed the dual timelines element of the book, I so love when we're with an MC in the present racing towards something while filling us in on the events of the past. Love it & eat it up every single time. And there was so much to explore thematically with this book. Complicated familial ties, both between Moth and her parents and Moth and her own daughter, how Deerhaven has had Moth's family visit there for one reason or another for three generations. SALAMANDERS!
But, and it pains me to say this, I did not connect with or like Moth. And it's not that she's an admitted unlikable character. Y'all who know me know I love an unlikable female protagonist. However something prevented me from really investing in Moth and I'm not sure what it is. It might be that I couldn't really fathom Moth's motivations in the present. Her past self absolutely constantly had motivations such as wanting to keep her mother safe, wanting a roof over her head, and of course, how can we forget, wanting to smash The Deer Man.
It could be that's what I didn't like about Moth too. She acted really foolish for a lot of the book over a man with antlers on his head and girl, for what??? What did you end up accomplishing at the end of the day? Tell me. Quickly. Something else I have to mention is the ending felt, I don't know, unplanned? Unfinished? You definitely see hints of what's going to happen at the end but then when we get there, it's not really explained beyond a light explanation. I have questions Jen, please answer me!
Lastly, I picked this up thinking there'd be more horror but this book absolutely leans more into the fantasy & gothic elements than the horror. Which is honestly a real shame because the horror that was sprinkled in was GOOD. Like when we see Mr. Oslin in his Deer Man form for the first time, amazing! The ghosts?! I loved them! I would love to see what this author comes out with next.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a DRC; all opinions are my own.
Let me start out by saying this book is extremely well written and the story is good! The story definitely felt like it had some elements of Spirited Away, which I enjoyed. There was a lot to like about this book; Moth's interactions with the guests at Deerhaven, Deerhaven itself was very interesting, and I did grow to like the friendship that blossomed between Moth, Birch, and Crow.
Additionally I also enjoyed the dual timelines element of the book, I so love when we're with an MC in the present racing towards something while filling us in on the events of the past. Love it & eat it up every single time. And there was so much to explore thematically with this book. Complicated familial ties, both between Moth and her parents and Moth and her own daughter, how Deerhaven has had Moth's family visit there for one reason or another for three generations. SALAMANDERS!
But, and it pains me to say this, I did not connect with or like Moth. And it's not that she's an admitted unlikable character. Y'all who know me know I love an unlikable female protagonist. However something prevented me from really investing in Moth and I'm not sure what it is. It might be that I couldn't really fathom Moth's motivations in the present. Her past self absolutely constantly had motivations such as wanting to keep her mother safe, wanting a roof over her head, and of course, how can we forget, wanting to smash The Deer Man.
It could be that's what I didn't like about Moth too. She acted really foolish for a lot of the book over a man with antlers on his head and girl, for what??? What did you end up accomplishing at the end of the day? Tell me. Quickly. Something else I have to mention is the ending felt, I don't know, unplanned? Unfinished? You definitely see hints of what's going to happen at the end but then when we get there, it's not really explained beyond a light explanation. I have questions Jen, please answer me!
Lastly, I picked this up thinking there'd be more horror but this book absolutely leans more into the fantasy & gothic elements than the horror. Which is honestly a real shame because the horror that was sprinkled in was GOOD. Like when we see Mr. Oslin in his Deer Man form for the first time, amazing! The ghosts?! I loved them! I would love to see what this author comes out with next.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a DRC; all opinions are my own.
July 21, 2026
Appalachian folktales and mother/daughter drama really are two of the scariest things, and The Winter Folk uses both very effectively.
Someone mentioned that they felt as though this book shouldn’t have been marketed as horror, and that it felt more like Spirited Away to them. I can understand that perspective, but I think it depends on what horror is to you. If you only think of horror as dangerous hauntings, vicious witches, zombie outbreaks, and classic slashers then sure - this won’t strike you as horror. But if you enjoy the slow build of atmospheric dread or turning the corner from dark whimsy and slamming face-first into a fantastical nightmare then The Winter Folk will definitely be horror to you.
This story takes the cautionary tales that parents tell their children and makes them real, taking a toll on two generations of mothers and daughters. Sure, three months of employment in exchange for one request of your choosing sounds like a good deal but violating the terms of your contract can result in… extreme consequences. For our main character, Moth, those consequences might just be worth considering if it means she gets to stay close to Deerhaven's host, Mr. Oslin. Oslin is a mysterious creature with the appearance of a handsome man in his 40s, topped off with deer antlers.
It is at Deerhaven, a winter retreat for inhuman creatures, that we experience most of the terror this story has to offer. The power imbalance between guest and employee as well as human and beings that have been around for thousands of years creates so much incredible tension. We can all relate to working our way up the ladder, rubbing elbows with those at the top and endearing yourself to those who could lift you up. Luckily, for most of us, that doesn't put us in mortal peril... If Moth's adventures at Deerhaven are what it takes to rise to the top then I think I'm ok staying at the bottom!
Outside of Deerhaven there are horrors that we might be more familiar with as humans. Parents who aren't fit to raise children, navigating the whims of teenagers, and education post-COVID.... I think a lot of this is part of the magic that is the story of The Winter Folk. The mix of the every day and the fantastic blends so well together to create this kind of hazy line between the reality we all live in and the mysterious Deerhaven and whatever lays beyond it. Especially in a setting like Appalachia, where there's already so much history and stigma and such a strong tie to folktales and lore.
If you love slow building tension, folklore, and the darker side of whimsy then I think you will really enjoy The Winter Folk by Jen Julian!
Thank you to Orbit for the ARC!
Someone mentioned that they felt as though this book shouldn’t have been marketed as horror, and that it felt more like Spirited Away to them. I can understand that perspective, but I think it depends on what horror is to you. If you only think of horror as dangerous hauntings, vicious witches, zombie outbreaks, and classic slashers then sure - this won’t strike you as horror. But if you enjoy the slow build of atmospheric dread or turning the corner from dark whimsy and slamming face-first into a fantastical nightmare then The Winter Folk will definitely be horror to you.
This story takes the cautionary tales that parents tell their children and makes them real, taking a toll on two generations of mothers and daughters. Sure, three months of employment in exchange for one request of your choosing sounds like a good deal but violating the terms of your contract can result in… extreme consequences. For our main character, Moth, those consequences might just be worth considering if it means she gets to stay close to Deerhaven's host, Mr. Oslin. Oslin is a mysterious creature with the appearance of a handsome man in his 40s, topped off with deer antlers.
It is at Deerhaven, a winter retreat for inhuman creatures, that we experience most of the terror this story has to offer. The power imbalance between guest and employee as well as human and beings that have been around for thousands of years creates so much incredible tension. We can all relate to working our way up the ladder, rubbing elbows with those at the top and endearing yourself to those who could lift you up. Luckily, for most of us, that doesn't put us in mortal peril... If Moth's adventures at Deerhaven are what it takes to rise to the top then I think I'm ok staying at the bottom!
Outside of Deerhaven there are horrors that we might be more familiar with as humans. Parents who aren't fit to raise children, navigating the whims of teenagers, and education post-COVID.... I think a lot of this is part of the magic that is the story of The Winter Folk. The mix of the every day and the fantastic blends so well together to create this kind of hazy line between the reality we all live in and the mysterious Deerhaven and whatever lays beyond it. Especially in a setting like Appalachia, where there's already so much history and stigma and such a strong tie to folktales and lore.
If you love slow building tension, folklore, and the darker side of whimsy then I think you will really enjoy The Winter Folk by Jen Julian!
Thank you to Orbit for the ARC!
July 21, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books| Run For It, as well as the author, for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
#NetGalley #OrbitBooksRunForIt #JenJulian #TheWinterFolk #Horror #Folkhorror #Fiction #Reading #Books #BookReviews
Title: The Winter Folk
Author: Jen Julian
Format: eBook
Publisher: Orbit Books| Run For It
Publication Date: July 21, 2026
Rating: 4 Stars
Themes: Folk horror, Appalachian horror, magical realism. Found family, gothic
Trigger Warnings: Violence, death, gore, child neglect, child loss, divorce, gaslighting, some minor sexual content, talk about sexual assault, cryptids
Vera grew up hearing about The Winter Folk from her mother. They were said to be heartless, wild creatures. When Vera meets Mr. Oslin when she’s twenty-one and down on her luck, she’s immediately beguiled by him and accepts a job as his housekeeper. She becomes Moth and works with the fabled Winter Folk. Moth learns that Deerhaven, the gathering place for The Winter Folk, is a dangerous place with strict rules and harsh punishments for breaking them. Moth keeps working until she doesn’t. Years later, Moth returns to Appalachia with her husband and daughter. She feels a pull to Deerhaven and Mr. Oslin. Will she find what she’s looking for, or is it true that you can never go home again?
This wasn’t the horror show I expected, but it was a beautifully written novel. The folk horror elements were reminiscent of T. Kingfisher, and it was perfect for fans of hers. There were a lot of fantasy elements. Fanciful creatures and impeccable world-building really helped my disappointment about the ratio of fantasy to horror. The magnificent Mr. Oslin leaped off the page with his dazzling appearance and irresistible charisma. I love books that feature specific rules with drastic consequences, and it was fun learning about them along with Moth. The flashback scenes added a sense of wonder and dread simultaneously. This novel was both beautiful and uncomfortable.
The pacing could have been a little quicker. I felt that some passages could have been a little shorter and elicited just the same feelings. I also felt that the ending was a little too ambiguous for my taste. I wanted a bit more answers and less loose ends.
All in all, fans of T. Kingfisher and dark fantasy lovers, please waste no time adding this captivating novel to your TBR.
#NetGalley #OrbitBooksRunForIt #JenJulian #TheWinterFolk #Horror #Folkhorror #Fiction #Reading #Books #BookReviews
Title: The Winter Folk
Author: Jen Julian
Format: eBook
Publisher: Orbit Books| Run For It
Publication Date: July 21, 2026
Rating: 4 Stars
Themes: Folk horror, Appalachian horror, magical realism. Found family, gothic
Trigger Warnings: Violence, death, gore, child neglect, child loss, divorce, gaslighting, some minor sexual content, talk about sexual assault, cryptids
Vera grew up hearing about The Winter Folk from her mother. They were said to be heartless, wild creatures. When Vera meets Mr. Oslin when she’s twenty-one and down on her luck, she’s immediately beguiled by him and accepts a job as his housekeeper. She becomes Moth and works with the fabled Winter Folk. Moth learns that Deerhaven, the gathering place for The Winter Folk, is a dangerous place with strict rules and harsh punishments for breaking them. Moth keeps working until she doesn’t. Years later, Moth returns to Appalachia with her husband and daughter. She feels a pull to Deerhaven and Mr. Oslin. Will she find what she’s looking for, or is it true that you can never go home again?
This wasn’t the horror show I expected, but it was a beautifully written novel. The folk horror elements were reminiscent of T. Kingfisher, and it was perfect for fans of hers. There were a lot of fantasy elements. Fanciful creatures and impeccable world-building really helped my disappointment about the ratio of fantasy to horror. The magnificent Mr. Oslin leaped off the page with his dazzling appearance and irresistible charisma. I love books that feature specific rules with drastic consequences, and it was fun learning about them along with Moth. The flashback scenes added a sense of wonder and dread simultaneously. This novel was both beautiful and uncomfortable.
The pacing could have been a little quicker. I felt that some passages could have been a little shorter and elicited just the same feelings. I also felt that the ending was a little too ambiguous for my taste. I wanted a bit more answers and less loose ends.
All in all, fans of T. Kingfisher and dark fantasy lovers, please waste no time adding this captivating novel to your TBR.
July 22, 2026
Book Review - Fiction - Appalachian Gothic Horror
Title: The Winter Folk by Jen Julian
⭐ Star Rating: 5 ⭐
❄ ️ Vibe Check: PASS (I would absolutely ignore every warning sign and wander straight into Deerhaven.)
This book felt like... if Spirited Away wandered into the Appalachian Mountains, picked up a few haunted fairy tales, and whispered, "You probably shouldn't go in there..."
...so naturally I followed it. 😂
From the very first page, Deerhaven completely wrapped itself around me. It's mysterious, eerie, beautiful, and just unsettling enough that I never quite relaxed—which is exactly how gothic horror should feel.
Moth was such a fascinating protagonist. Her connection to Deerhaven and Mr. Oslin pulled me deeper into the mystery with every chapter. I loved slowly uncovering the history of the lodge, its impossible rules, and the terrifying consequences for anyone foolish enough to break them.
And honestly... if a magical house came with pages of rules, I'd be dead by chapter three.
"Don't open this door."
Immediately opens door.
😂
The atmosphere absolutely stole the show. This wasn't horror built on cheap scares—it was quiet, haunting, melancholy, and deeply immersive. It felt like listening to an old Appalachian folktale around a campfire where everyone swears it's true.
Tropes included: Appalachian gothic, dark fairy tale, haunted house, folklore horror, mysterious creatures, magical realism, found family, impossible bargains, and beautifully unsettling world-building.
Did they deliver? Absolutely. Every page made me want to know just a little bit more about Deerhaven... even though every instinct was screaming that curiosity was a terrible idea.
This book made me feel: enchanted, unsettled, emotional, and completely absorbed in its strange, magical world.
Perfect for readers who love... T. Kingfisher, Alix E. Harrow, Katherine Arden, folklore horror, gothic fantasy, and stories where the setting feels like its own unforgettable character.
😈 Petty Complaint... If magical places could stop being so unbelievably inviting right before trying to ruin people's lives, that'd be great. 😂
Overall, The Winter Folk is haunting, beautiful, and unlike anything I've read this year. Jen Julian has created a world that lingers long after the final page.
Five stars. Deerhaven is one place I'll never forget... even if I probably shouldn't visit.
Title: The Winter Folk by Jen Julian
⭐ Star Rating: 5 ⭐
❄ ️ Vibe Check: PASS (I would absolutely ignore every warning sign and wander straight into Deerhaven.)
This book felt like... if Spirited Away wandered into the Appalachian Mountains, picked up a few haunted fairy tales, and whispered, "You probably shouldn't go in there..."
...so naturally I followed it. 😂
From the very first page, Deerhaven completely wrapped itself around me. It's mysterious, eerie, beautiful, and just unsettling enough that I never quite relaxed—which is exactly how gothic horror should feel.
Moth was such a fascinating protagonist. Her connection to Deerhaven and Mr. Oslin pulled me deeper into the mystery with every chapter. I loved slowly uncovering the history of the lodge, its impossible rules, and the terrifying consequences for anyone foolish enough to break them.
And honestly... if a magical house came with pages of rules, I'd be dead by chapter three.
"Don't open this door."
Immediately opens door.
😂
The atmosphere absolutely stole the show. This wasn't horror built on cheap scares—it was quiet, haunting, melancholy, and deeply immersive. It felt like listening to an old Appalachian folktale around a campfire where everyone swears it's true.
Tropes included: Appalachian gothic, dark fairy tale, haunted house, folklore horror, mysterious creatures, magical realism, found family, impossible bargains, and beautifully unsettling world-building.
Did they deliver? Absolutely. Every page made me want to know just a little bit more about Deerhaven... even though every instinct was screaming that curiosity was a terrible idea.
This book made me feel: enchanted, unsettled, emotional, and completely absorbed in its strange, magical world.
Perfect for readers who love... T. Kingfisher, Alix E. Harrow, Katherine Arden, folklore horror, gothic fantasy, and stories where the setting feels like its own unforgettable character.
😈 Petty Complaint... If magical places could stop being so unbelievably inviting right before trying to ruin people's lives, that'd be great. 😂
Overall, The Winter Folk is haunting, beautiful, and unlike anything I've read this year. Jen Julian has created a world that lingers long after the final page.
Five stars. Deerhaven is one place I'll never forget... even if I probably shouldn't visit.
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