As the Snow Gathers

by Mere Joyce

The forest doesn't just take what it's owed—it takes whatever it wants.

Dominic was born in Aplin Shade, a remote Canadian town built on the bones of another that vanished without a trace. Bookish and quiet, he never asked to lead his family, but after a carriage crash kills his father and leaves his sister forever changed, he has no choice.

The only person who truly sees him is Lex, a logger in the camp near town and the love Dominic must keep secret. Together they dream of escaping Aplin Shade, a place where isolation breeds judgment and every kindness hides a cost.

But the forest is no refuge. The Fanteur dwell there—shadowed beings who come at night to drain the dead of their blood and return them for burial by dawn.

They've never touched the living.

Until now.

As winter descends and the Fanteur strike back against the logging camp, Dominic and Lex must fight for their lives, their love, and a way out of the woods' tightening grasp.

Because the forest doesn't forgive, and it never forgets.

Genres: Horror, Queer, LGBT, Fiction, Adult, Mystery Thriller, Paranormal

368 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 1, 2026

About the author

Mere Joyce lives in Atlantic Canada. As both a writer and a librarian, she understands the importance of reading, and the impact the right story can have.

Reviews

[The Reading Frog (sporadically-ia, sorry if I miss a notif!) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Mere Joyce, Poisoned Pen Press & NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review

Rating: 3.25/5 ⭐
CW: Explicit | Blood, death, gore, grief
Moderate | Ableism, animal death, fade-to-black sex scene, homophobia, injury description, past infant death, racism, (racist) slurs, religious bigotry, sexism, stillbirth, suicidal ideation, violence, xenophobia
Mild | Alcoholism, burn injury description, medical procedures, mention of a suicide, mention of miscarriage, minor mention of sexual coercion, mistreatment of an animal, past death of a parent, self-injury, vomit
My chosen soundtrack(s): My Special Girl - Cristobal Tapia De Veer | Gifted - Cristobal Tapia De Veer

For nearly two decades, the Fanteur had been harmless to the living residents of Aplin Shade. But there was never any doubt about their potential for danger. When Father’s corpse was taken—the blood drained, the flesh destroyed, and the bones crushed—the creatures from the woods were showing their strength. The living hadn’t taken heed. And since that day, Fanteur snow had appeared every time someone in the village had died. The Fanteur were never the cause of the death, however. They’d never seemed capable of harming the living. Or they’d never seen a need to. Unless that had now changed as well.

Representation
╰┈➤ Queer MCs | Dominic and Lex
╰┈➤ Established MLM dynamic | Dominic and Lex
╰┈➤ Unspecified BIPOC side character | Peter, is described with these words: "the dark shade of his skin", and is implied to be black.
╰┈➤ Unspecified disabled side character | Isadora, implied psychological or brain damage and mutism as a result of a carriage accident
╰┈➤ Implied albino MC | Lex has the colouring associated with albinism, though no impaired vision is mentioned
╰┈➤ Implied mental health rep through MC | Some PTSD symptoms, intrusive memories, suicidal ideation and grief


Themes
Bigotry, cowardice vs bravery, deforestation, exploitation, greed, gender based expectations and roles, nature fights back, open secrets, otherness, poverty, prejudice, self-worth issues, selfishness, the ugliness of humanity, "who is really the monster?"


Tropes/What to expect
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Something is wrong with the forest
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Us against the world dynamic
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Looming crisis
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ Monstrous humans
‎ ‎ ‎ ❥ "Crash out, king. You earned it."


What I liked/loved
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ The setting | The story takes place in Aplin Shade. A village once found mysteriously abandoned, now inhabited by a new group of people.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ This snowy village is cold in more ways than one. Conservative men are set in their bigoted old ways, otherness is seen as obscene, every coin counts, and there is no sympathy for travelling workers trying to set up a life for themselves. Money is scarce in Aplin Shade, and its inhabitants are greedy, self-serving and exploitative as a result.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Add to this the loggers' camp, whose inhabitants are shunned while simultaneously exploited/relied on for the coin their labour brings and the invisible yet overarching presence of the 'Fanteur', and you get something pretty intriguing.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ The Fanteur | A silent pact held the peace between man and Fanteur ever since a group of humans settled on the ground neighbouring the forest in which they reside. As long as the villagers stay out of the woods, nothing astrotioucs will happen.
‎ ‎ ‎ Yes, the villagers have to deal with their dead mysteriously being stolen, drained of their blood and safely returned some time later, but that's a small price to pay for the truce between men and nature.
‎ ‎ ‎ The woods are creepy, heavy with a sense of being watched, continuously looming over Aplin Shade, yet very much treated with a 'turning a blind eye' approach.
‎ ‎ ‎ When the logging efforts increase, this long-held truce becomes volatile and unsteady. Nature decides to fight back.
‎ ‎ ‎ I won't go into detail about what this entails, but I found myself really surprised by the uniqueness of the Fanteur as a concept, its design, and its behaviour. It felt fresh and unpredictable.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Misanthropic Narrative | Though the Fanteur serve as an antagonistic force in this story, this doesn't mean that humans are framed as 'the good ones'. There is a huge focus on the ugliness and evil of humans. It made me go: "Is it bad that I'm siding with the Fanteur? Honestly, forest go off, deforestation is no joke."
‎ ‎ ‎ If you enjoy stories that highlight humanity as an invasive species, whose absence or even eradication would benefit nature, you will probably enjoy the discourse in this book.

“This village. It makes monsters of us all, doesn’t it?” “Yes,” I agreed. “That it does.”

‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ There is a focus and repeated exploration of the invisible, ignored and quiet and how they shouldn't be underestimated.
‎ ‎ ‎ How loudness, ego, and confidence don't equal or guarantee actual power/competence. How acting like something isn't there won't make it go away. And a highlight of the art of noticing, how looking/listening can serve as a skill. Some examples:
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ The Fanteur are scary because they are unseen and thus intangible.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Dominic is described as invisible, easily ignored, disrespected and thus, underestimated. This aspect plays a huge part in his character arc.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Isadora isn't able to verbally communicate, which I wish had been explored more. (Honestly, I wish Isadora in general would've been explored more)
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ✵ Lex and Dominic's relationship is a known secret, constantly held over their heads without being properly addressed, yet always used to inflict hurt and exploit.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Satisfying and believable character arc | I really enjoy Dominic's character development. I love that he is not instantly brave. It's something he learns gradually, sometimes falling back on what he knows, which feels realistic. Displaying that feeling of knowing what needs to change, yet not being ready, capable or able to do so, makes it easy to sympathise with him.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ This book contains morally grey characters/actions without losing the readers' sympathy for them, which I love.
‎ ‎ ‎ Also, a little taste of unhinged queer characters? Don't mind if I do!
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ Characters that you love to hate! I had a 'men I hope die before this book ends' list, and that's honestly all you need to know.
‎ ‎ ✧ Exploring discourse on gender-based expectations. Specifically through the MC, who must assume his deceased father's roles, both as head of the household and in his profession, while simultaneously fulfilling his responsibilities as a son and brother.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ The first 60% builds mystery and fear of the unknown, while the last 40% dives into the heaviness of knowing, tense with anticipation and dread. I enjoyed both, but preferred the second part since it was faster-paced and kept me more engaged than the first segment did.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ There is an exploration of going through life as a passive passenger in contrast to taking ownership of one's life that I really enjoyed.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✧ This is not a positive or a negative to me personally, but the romantic relationship between the main characters is already established. I know some people don't really enjoy that, so I thought it was worth mentioning.



What I didn't like/felt lacklustre about
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ I felt a bit infodumped in the beginning, specifically when it came to the introduction of characters. I had to take notes, which I did end up needing because a lot of the introductions just didn't stick.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ There were specific characters whose death I feel a bit weird about. Choosing to kill off the only black character and a pregnant woman on page, while most other deaths happen off-page, made me feel a bit iffy about it.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ I should love this book since it has elements I love; something is wrong with the forest trope, body horror, mystery, queer main characters and some unhingedness. Yet, for some reason, I wasn't fully invested. That did change a little in the second segment of the book, but overall, I just wasn't as immersed in this read as I thought I would be.
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ I wanted to know more about Lex as a character and his past, as well as some of the characters we lost. I would've been more invested in them if I had more time to learn and care about them. Some moments should've been devastating, but they didn't hit as such. I found myself going "Damn, rip. Anyways-"
‎ ‎ ‎ ✦ I don't know how to talk about the ending without spoiling it.
So non-spoiler version, that probably won't make sense: I got the ending I wanted, but the intensity was at 60% while I longed for it to be 160%. There was also an open-ended adjacent aspect to it that I didn't really vibe with.
Now, the spoilery version: I liked the promise of a cathartic revenge, and there definitely was some of that, but I wish we had got the full intensity of it instead of the promise of more in an imagined future beyond the pages.



Conclusion/Notes
There was so much here I should've loved, and I did, to a certain degree. This was not a bad read by any means; it was fun, bloody, a little unhinged and unique. Yet, I didn't feel as connected to the story or characters as I thought I would be. Though I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this book, I anticipate it won't really stay with me beyond its pages.

Regardless of this not being a 5⭐ read for me, I do recommend it! It's a fun time and has something unique to offer.

Definitely pick this one up if you enjoy queer-centric horror, freaky forest creatures and commentary on humanity.

Little disclaimer regarding my rating: this book followed a reading streak of 4.5⭐ or higher-rated books, which is hard to follow up. My reading experience might have been influenced by that streak.


⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆



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[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aplin Shade is a remote Canadian town that was discovered abandoned, its former residents gone without a trace. At first glance, it looks like an ideal place to settle, but at night, a magical force called the Fanteur arrives and drains the dead. Dominic was born in Aplin Shade and never wanted to stay, but after his father died in a carriage accident, he became the head of his family. Only Lex, a logger working at a camp outside town, notices Dominic. Together, they have dreams of escaping Aplin Shade. But the Fanteur are now going after the living and killing anyone trying to escape. Dominic and Lex must find out what the Fanteur wants before it's too late.

As the Snow Gathers is a gripping horror story filled with a village of unlikable characters and a paranormal mystery hidden in the woods. The town feels even more eerie because of its winter isolation, and I liked how the tension grew between the townspeople and the logging camp as the Fanteur continued to terrorize the villagers. The romance between Lex and Dominic was a nice break from the horrors of the Fanteur, but it was truly heartbreaking in the end. Overall, this was a fantastic horror novel, and I would definitely recommend it to fans of the genre.

As the Snow Gathers is out September 1st.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the opportunity to review As the Snow Gathers. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Novels and Nummies · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was horribly miserable, I loved it. Set in a vile little village with a logging camp at its outskirts, the dead are taken by an unknown source for years until one day the source stops waiting until they are dead.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The storyline was incredibly unique. Essentially, the author crafted a setting and group of characters that explores what happens in a place where hope has gone to die.

I can acknowledge that this book wasn’t perfect, some of the world building left unanswered questions, and the pacing ebbed and flowed, but I was quickly sucked into this story. I feel like the author did an excellent job of setting the tone at the beginning and I don’t know.. this book just really worked for me.

I would highly recommend this book and it had a sort of Wildjackets vibe to it (it evoked the same feeling in me I had when watching the show despite them being nothing alike). I truly was not expecting to like this as much as I did.

In conclusion everything is awful and everyone sucks in this book, it’s my favorite read of the year so far (and I could truly see it being my top read of the year).

[Books with Becs · Rating 4 out of 5]

When settlers first arrived in Aplin Shade 20 years ago, they discovered a fully built town with not a single soul living there. They soon discovered why. Whenever a settler died, the body would disappear only to return a day or two later fully drained of blood, but otherwise ready for burial. The settlers named the mysterious creatures who lived in the surrounding woods The Fanteur. This strange arrangement between the settlers and Fanteur was largely peaceful until the settlers started logging. Now, the Fanteur are angry and they aren’t just taking dead bodies anymore. They are actively killing the settlers and only returning their bones…crushed so finely that they look like freshly fallen snow. Dominic and Lex know that the logging needs to stop, but the stubborn settlers know of no other way to survive. All Dom and Lex can do is hope they can survive long enough to escape Aplin Shade.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for letting me read an early copy of As the Snow Gathers by Mere Joyce. When I requested a review copy of this book, I fully expected an atmospheric, creature feature horror. What I didn’t expect was a beautiful queer love story to go along with it. Our protagonists, Lex and Dom, had a loving relationship that they had to spend a lot of time and energy to hide in the 1860’s. This was an already-established relationship built on mutual respect and care, so I really loved that. The first chapter of the book grabbed me immediately and set the stage for the horrors to come. While the first half of the book was slow burn and a bit repetitive, it ended up being worth the wait. The first chapter was good enough that the slow build wasn’t too tedious for me, but it might be for others. There was one chapter towards the middle that I think might be one of the most frightening single chapters of horror literature I’ve read in a long time. Towards the end, the book went into unhinged territory and I love that. The setting of the story was bleak, cold, and felt claustrophobic. Most of the settlers were either bitter, meek, downright awful, or conniving, but I suppose you can’t expect too much from a frozen backwoods settlement cut off from the rest of the world. This is not at all a critique. I think the villagers being so awful was the correct move for the story. Joyce created enough characters to root for or at least feel sorry for, that I was invested. I particularly liked Lex, Grace, and Dom. Man, that ending. That ending was incredible. It left me more curious about the Fanteur in the best way. I’m hoping a more talented reader is able to draw some fan art of them. If Joyce can tighten up the more repetitive stuff and fix up a few of the typos, I think she is going to be a writer I will want to see a lot more from. As the Snow Gathers releases September 2026! 3.5/5 stars

[Megan Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This isn’t my usual genre, but sometimes the best reads are the ones that feel like taking an unexpected detour—and this one led straight into a cold, haunting wilderness I won’t soon forget.

From the start, As The Snow Gathers establishes a relentlessly dark tone. There’s no warmth to cling to here—no easy comfort or lightness—but there is a quiet, striking beauty woven throughout. The setting feels almost cinematic, reminiscent of the stark brutality of The Revenant blended with the eerie isolation of a place like Smeerenburg in Klaus: snowbound, unforgiving, and steeped in an old-world heaviness.

The characters are, by design, difficult—guarded, self-serving, and tangled in secrets. Yet, within that harsh landscape, the relationship between Dom and Lex offers a rare and luminous contrast. Their connection is handled with a delicate restraint that feels both authentic and historically grounded. Much of what makes their story compelling lies not in what is said outright, but in what lingers beneath the surface—unspoken, but deeply felt.

This is very much a slow-burn narrative. The pacing is deliberate, almost meditative, drawing you deeper into the mystery of the unseen terror lurking beyond the village. Rather than relying on sharp twists or overt scares, the novel builds tension in the quiet spaces—in the cold, in the silence, and in the sense that something is always just out of reach.

Readers looking for a plot-driven thriller or a feel-good escape may find this challenging. Character development outside of Dom and Lex is minimal, and the story leans heavily into atmosphere over action. But for those willing to settle into its rhythm, there is something undeniably compelling about its mood and restraint.

Ultimately, As The Snow Falls is a haunting, introspective read—one best experienced curled up under a blanket, when you’re in the mood to sit with something a little darker, a little quieter, and a little more elusive.

If you enjoy slow, atmospheric historical fiction where much is left unsaid—and where beauty exists even in the bleakest places—this is well worth the journey.

[storriebooked · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm trying to write this review & wondering if I actually know anything anymore, because a book I was hesitant on ended up being my FIRST 5-star read of 2026. When I first read the description for As the Snow Gathers I was absolutely intrigued ((as any good horror goblin would be)) but the mentions of romance had me pausing. I love a romance plot line for anyone who ISN'T me, but I tend to get annoyed when my horror is too romance heavy. What I didn't know before reading this book is that Mere Joyce is brilliant at using romance to twist the knife & make the horror hit that much harder.

The setting of this book instantly called to me. It's isolated, wooded, & icy- perfect for losing yourself in. ((But remember... you're not alone out there...)) I also found myself quickly wrapped up in both the tension that blanketed the town of Aplin Shade & the overwhelming sense of dread that Dom is grappling with. I really loved him & Lex as characters and thought they balanced each other well.

If you're not one for gore there will be some scenes here that aren't for you, but I loved them. Joyce has this innate skill for making even gruesome scenes read like poetry. I'd simultaneously love to see this as a horror film & dread seeing someone bring it to life as anything less than what it deserves. I don't picture things when I read ((my brain doesn't work that way)) but As the Snow Gathers is a book that I felt on a visceral level the whole time I was consuming it. ((Or was it consuming me? It's too soon to tell...))

I need this book to be on the radar of every horror reader ASAP, because though it isn't expected to release until 9/1/26, Mere Joyce has written something darkly captivating. Pre-order, request at your local library, see what you can do to get this book in your hands & on the shelves- I can't wait to hear what you think about this one!

((While the viewpoints shared are my own, I want to thank NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and Mere Joyce for this complimentary copy.))

[Liberty Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started out really intriguing, and I liked a lot of the elements As the Snow Gathers was working with. The snowy, isolated village is a great setting for this kind of supernatural horror, and it really works as backdrop for the introspection and frustration we get to explore with our queer main characters. I also really liked how the social dynamics of this village evolved and how that influenced/was influenced by the looming threat of the fanteur.

Unfortunately a lot of other things just didn't get handled well in the long run, and a lot of the tension we get from the setup just doesn't go anywhere fast enough to keep me interested. While we get some bits of information about the supernatural forces at play in the first half, there isn't enough for me to really understand how much of a threat they pose to the villagers. Then we do eventually get some reveal, and though the scene was unsettling it left me with more questions than answers. While I can appreciate that ambiguity can add to suspense I felt like I never knew enough to understand the the kind of danger anyone was in or why any of this was happening. There are so many eerie aspects to this story, but we just don't do enough with them.

Pacing was similarly an issue with character development, and it left me frustrated. While there's definitely a big change in Dom from beginning to end it isn't until the last quarter or so that we see this rapid shift, and I just wish that process had begun sooner. There's certainly reason for the sudden change, but it was more one extreme to another and not actual character "development." This in addition to the way the situation with the village was resolved left me with a sense of whiplash more than anything, and it kept me from getting totally invested in these characters that I really wanted to like.

Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC

[CJ Espinoza · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you enjoy a slow-burn, queer gothic steeped in folklore and atmosphere, As the Snow Gathers by Joyce Mere may be exactly what you’re looking for. Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC.

The heart of this novel lies in the forbidden relationship between Dom and Lex. Their chemistry is undeniable, tender, aching, and filled with a quiet defiance. I found myself completely drawn into their longing and their shared dream of building a life together, even as the world around them threatens to tear that possibility apart. While some villagers turn a blind eye to their connection, others respond with cruelty, adding tension that feels both intimate and painfully real.

Set in a remote Canadian mountain village during the brutal winter of 1863, the story is drenched in isolation. The setting is one of the book’s greatest strengths: a snowbound settlement surrounded by dense, unforgiving woods, with a logging camp looming at its edge under the control of a greedy overseer. As the forest is carved away, something ancient and dangerous stirs. The Fanteur—haunting, predatory creatures—emerge as a chilling presence, draining the dead and returning their hollowed bodies. The novel makes one thing clear: the forest does not forgive.

While I was consistently engaged, especially by Dom’s relationships with his mother, sister, and Lex. I did find myself wishing for more intensity in the horror elements. The story leans heavily into atmosphere over action, favoring a slow, simmering dread rather than sharp scares. For some readers, the pacing may feel too measured.

Overall, the tone is dark, eerie, and somber, like a long winter that never quite breaks. Though it didn’t fully meet my expectations in terms of tension and payoff, I was deeply invested in Dom and Lex—their love is what lingers.

⭐️ 3.5 stars

[Off Service Book Recs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alpin Shade, a remote town in the Canadian wilderness, may have an idyllic name, but the bones of ta past abandoned town its built on should have served as a warning, not an invitation. Dominic was born here, raised here, and will likely die here - after a carriage crash which killed his father and maimed his siter, he's now the reluctant head of his family, and his dreams of leaving the judgement, isolation, and destitution of Alpin Shade with Lex - a logger in the camp near town and his secret love - seem more far-fetched by the day.

Making an escape through the woods more complicated are the Fanteur - shadowed beings who come at night to drain the dead of their blood and return them for burial by dawn. Before now, they've never touched the living - but as winter descents on the logging camp so do the Fanteur on the loggers - and if Lex and Dominic aren't careful, the lovely, dark and deep woods will be their reluctant resting place before they can even dream of spring.

If this doesn't get picked up by Netflix - or probably HBO, because this is an R-rated book - I don't know what I'm going to do. Horror is not happy and is not easy, and this was EXACTLY what I wanted in a book about the things we don't talk about in the forest. This was dripping with horror - both the things that go bump in the night and that of a micro-town in a time before antibiotics where you happen to be a man who likes a man. Big fan of the horrors within and without, and I finished this book in a few short days because I needed to KNOW what happened next. This would be a great atmospheric read for the fall or for that nice trip to the Canadian woods you have this summer - try not to die!

[Jess Stadler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow okay.. I ate this up. As The Snow Gathers is definitely one of those slow-burning horrors that gets creepier and more gruesome as the story goes on. The feeling of dread grows, and when that last 40% hits, Joyce puts her foot on the gas, and you get all the gruesome horror treats you’ve been waiting for. My mind was spinning over the imagery and trying to piece together what these Fanteurs look like. I would love to see some art of these forest entities (I LOVE a spooky forest entity). The pacing of this one is a bit slow, but I don’t let that deter me as I’ve learned that these slower-paced books always take me by surprise in the last half.

There are a handful of characters who make up this story that takes place in a remote Canadian town, but Dom and Lex are the two main MMCs. Dom is the main POV in the book, and Lex has a couple of POV chapters. I really loved that there was a romantic element, giving a soft, loving emotional underbelly that is much-needed relief in a dreadful, dark story. At its core, this is also a revenge story. After Dom feels disowned and rejected by pretty much everyone around him, Lex is his only safe space. I felt sad for Dom… and when he started to plan his revenge, I knew I was in for a strong, satisfying conclusion. At times, it left me wondering if I actually liked Dom as a character or if I am a little bit scared of him (LOL)?

This is an atmospheric read — you feel the desolate, dark, and suffocating environment of this small town and the eerie forest around it. That silence that you feel in the dead of winter. It’s dreary and sad. Everyone is on edge because of the Fanteurs, but for the majority of the book, you have no idea what they actually are. The mystery is what kept me fully engaged in the slower parts of the story.

[BB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you both the publisher, the author and NetGalley for an opportunity to read As the Snow Gathers and share my thoughts about the book.

My flabbers are gasted. I really didn’t know what to expect but it wasn’t this. And I’m not mad about it.

The story follows Dom and Lex who are trying to survive until the spring would come and they could leave Aplin Shade, a remote, isolated Canadian town where Dom was born. But the forest around them and Fanteur living in it don’t want anyone to leave the place. Not alive, at least. Not after the logging camp destroying their forest has turned them against the town and loggers who work in the camp.

I love forest horror nowadays which made me request this book. I expected it to be something like “us against the evil in the woods” type of thing and at first, it was it. Both Dom and Lex struggle with both the woods around them and the town that’s not exactly the safest and most comfortable place for two young men who love each other.

At first, the book felt a bit slow and I think it’s a great book for people who enjoy a bit slower, atmospheric vibe with lingering horror and everyone taking their revenge against people who have not respected them. The book took some time for me to get into it, but after I really got into it, I couldn’t stop reading it. It’s honestly one of the most positive surprises from the books I have read this year, because I didn’t know at all what to expect and while the book took a direction I didn’t expect, it accidentally went exactly to the direction I needed it to go.

I love woods, especially scary woods with monsters in them.

[Tilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this eARC.

I knew I needed to read this not only the second I saw the gorgeous cover, but once I read the brief synopsis I knew this would be for me!

Our main character Dom and his partner Lex's relationship are what really drew me into this story, give a queer story and I'm in! Their chemistry and tender longing for one another really made me believe and feel for their relationship so deeply. They love one another so deeply despite all of the negativity and bigotry being thrown at them from almost every other character. Their longing for a better life was so sweet and endearing.

This story spends a lot of time building up this fantastic dark, isolated, depressing atmosphere that does not subside at any point throughout. The village of Aplin Shade feels so real and cold it seems like a waking everyday nightmare. Descriptions of the forest and what goes on inside it kept me on the edge of my seat not wanting to put the book down!

My only slight complaint about the story is that despite the atmospheric writing that built such a solid picture of this village in my mind, I wish a little more would have happened plot wise, especially in the first 6o to 70%, we spent a while just watching Dom wake up and at the end of the chapter go to sleep without too much happening in between to further the plot. This is however, such a personal issue of mine and did not tamper my enjoyment of the story very much, I know that this will not be an issue for readers who love more character focused stories.

[luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to the folks at Poisoned Press for providing this ebook via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!
***

"All forests have their beasts"

A 25 minute long standing ovation by myself in my room, yes. Thank you.
That was so good. The characters are so compelling and simultaneously lovely and completely awful. The romance at the core of this story is wonderful and heartbreaking. The struggle of queer people in this specific period and placing in time is very well portrayed in my opinion. Bawled my eyes out in certain scene, fell to my knees and crawled because I couldn't believe what I was reading, I had to force myself to continue because I was so shocked I couldn't function. The sibling relationship is completely shattering and heavy I can't express it coherently.
But the feeling of impending doom is what holds this story high for me. Every page is filled with dread and I love that. The claustrophobic feeling of the village along with the Allan Poesque elements of the horror and the mystery solving that lead nowhere but just pessimistic places. Plus the writing style and the sort of fragmented narration really add the finishing touches.
Absolutely wonderful read.
Highly recommended to everyone who loves folk horror!

This book might contain topics that could trigger sensitive readers like: mentions of homophobia and racism and sexual harassment, bullying, hate crimes, gore, death, suicide ideation, blood, murder, violence, paranormal and supernatural entities, substance abuse and sexual activity.

[Jensen McCorkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 2.75 rounded up

As The Snow Gathers is a introspective novel that leans heavily into atmosphere and emotional nuance with themes of isolation, emotional distance and regret. The narrative unfolds through fragments of memory combined with subtle interactions and shifting emotional states. Tension builds quietly over time leading to a sense of acceptance, or at least recognition, rather than a dramatic resolution.

The world building seems it’s deliberately constrained. Joyce builds a tight, almost claustrophobic setting shaped by winter which suits the story line perfectly and creating more of a psychological worldbuilding. The result is a setting that feels less like a place on a map and more like a state of being. This creates this sense of stillness that’s immersive… at least at first.

The problem is that the novel leans so heavily into that stillness that it starts to work against itself. The pacing is very slow, and not much happens on a plot level. Instead, the story focuses on internal emotion but those feelings are often so restrained that they never fully land. I kept waiting for something to break open, for a moment of clarity or confrontation, and it never quite came.

Overall, its a thoughtfully written, atmospheric novel that will work for readers who love slow, introspective fiction but for me, it was a bit too distant and uneventful to fully connect with.

[Yolanda Raya · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the Snow Gathers by Mere Joyce is an atmospheric horror book that takes place in 1863 in a little isolated town called Aplin Shade. It starts off with an immediate sense of dread as someone from the town appears to be lost in the woods and the people fear that the worst may have happened to him because the woods are not safe. There are supernatural beings, referred to as The Fanteur that lurk in the woods and they wait patiently for townspeople to die so they can drain their blood only to return the body later. This missing person sparks a series of events that basically creates uncertainty in the town.
In the story we meet Lex who is a logger that works in the woods and alongside his boyfriend, Dominic they begin to uncover the truth behind The Fanteur to see if there is a way to stop them. They try their hardest to stay safe as slowly more and more townspeople become victims of The Fanteur. Their ultimate goal is to save enough money to leave the town.
This story definitely carries atmospheric horror and tension throughout the book. There is also a lot of gore which adds to the scary factor of what The Fanteur can do. You can feel the dread and fear that Lex and Dom feel as they encounter altercations amongst the townspeople as well as dealing with the horror of The Fanteur.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good atmospheric horror book. Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press. All opinions are my own.

[Matt Gomes · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ 1🌶️ 2🌪️ 3😱 1😭 1🤗

Thank you NetGalley, Mere Joyce, and the publishing team at Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!

I don’t even know where to begin with this review. As the Snow Gathers by Mere Joyce is such a unique book, and the ending was just about as perfectly wrapped up as you can get—especially for a genre-bending story that seamlessly combines horror and romance. I’m also a huge fan when you can bring me a “new” unique monster…Wow! I’ll be thinking about this one all year.

Set in 1863, Joyce writes as if she lived in this time period—the language, dialogue, and descriptions all felt authentically period-appropriate, completely immersing me in the era. The story takes place in a remote, isolated village where trees and winter control everything. Joyce was incredibly clever to withhold the specific location, adding mystery and a timeless, fairy-tale quality. It’s also told over just one month, so the pacing is relentlessly fast.

As for the plot, you’ll just need to read it—I don’t want to provide any spoilers, and this story is perfect for going in blind. Just know there are frights, gore, romance, tension, and everything that makes a compelling horror story. One of the most impressive debuts I’ve read in a while.

[Karyta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

What I loved most was the horror of it all. The atmosphere was so tense and unsettling, and I could feel that dread slowly building with every dated chapter. The dated chapter format made the slower pacing work for me because it emphasized the weight of each day and the way tension kept building little by little. There is a repetitive quality to Dom’s days, waking up, moving through the house, trying to piece things together, going to bed, but that routine added to the claustrophobic feeling of the story.

The faunter felt really unique, and I loved how different the plot felt. It wasn’t just another standard haunted-house type of story. There was something strange and deeply eerie about it that kept pulling me back in.

But the emotional side is what really made this hit. I felt so much for the characters, especially Dom and Lex. Their love was sweet, believable, and tender in a way that made the horror hurt more. I cared about them, and by the end, this book had me crying.

The pacing is definitely slow at times. But for me, the atmosphere, the horror, the emotional weight, and the way it made me not want to put it down completely won me over.

A chilling, emotional, gory, unique read that left me haunted.

[Sara Beatriz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I ended up somewhere between 2 and 3 stars with As the Snow Gathers because the core idea genuinely had a lot of potential, but the execution needed much more editing.

The atmosphere is probably the book’s strongest aspect. The isolated Canadian setting, the winter horror elements, the secrecy surrounding Dominic and Lex, and the folklore-like presence of the Fanteur create a really compelling foundation. The idea of creatures that only fed on the dead until suddenly they didn’t is genuinely unsettling, and the emotional core centred around grief, repression, and survival had the ingredients for something deeply haunting.

Unfortunately, the writing itself often weakened the story for me. There’s a surprising amount of repetition, both in wording and in themes, especially in the first half of the book. At times, it almost feels like the same emotional point is being rewritten multiple times in slightly different sentences instead of naturally progressing. One example that stood out to me was when, within essentially the same page, the narration explains that someone fears conflict because they never experienced the feeling of victory, only to repeat almost the same idea again, a few paragraphs later, with slightly different phrasing. And this wasn’t an isolated issue.

[Krystelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

If you’re looking for a haunting winter read to curl up in the snow with, look no further- you can’t get much better than ‘As The Snow Gathers.’ Set in a small village with a logging trade and little else, this book focuses on the dangers of what we cannot see out in the trees, and it does it wonderfully.

The main characters, Lex and Dom, have a very sweet but clearly very tortured relationship. They are clearly the social pariahs of the town, and the way that they are treated is, at best, reprehensible. I do feel like it’s pretty clear from the get-go that they are between a rock and a hard place, but the book works with that in a masterful way.

There’s definitely a false sense of calm in the book, which gives the reader even more of a sense of how ominous it is. The one complaint I do have is that it’s a bit of a slow burn, but at the same time, I do understand why that stylistic choice was made.

The scenes of actual horror are nasty, with one in particular being a standout. There’s definitely no punches pulled with the descriptions of violence, and I was really keen to see what the author did with the monsters. I was definitely not left disappointed!

[Xavier Whitman · Rating 3 out of 5]

As The Snow Gathers is a frost-bitten horror where the humans are just as monstrous as the creatures that hunt them. It follows Dom, the son of the recently deceased town-barrister, as he and Lex, the logger he’s in a forbidden romance with, try to survive to escape the town and woods that want them dead.

This book was just okay. There were some elements I really liked, such as the horror elements with the Fantuer (though they were a bit underdeveloped in my opinion. I would have liked more about them and their origin.) and the revenge aspects later in the story.

However, the writing just felt a bit awkward. The pacing was uneven in a way that did not seem intentional. The action-heavy scenes just were just not described the best, and it made it a bit difficult to parse out what was even happening.

Some of the characters felt a bit flat as well, Lex especially. Even when there were chapters in his point of view, it just felt like there was nothing really to him. A lot of the side characters were pretty much cardboard cutouts. It’s hard to feel anything for a character that is just nothing beyond the bare bones the author needs.

Overall, As The Snow Gathers was fine, but nothing that I’m probably going to read again.

[Alicia (weird.reads.books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the Snow Gathers immediately establishes itself as a haunting and unforgiving read. The chilly, dreary setting of an isolated Canadian village pulled me in instantly. Mere Joyce does a poetic job of weaving together a sense of dread and helplessness the characters feel as the village is slowly preyed upon from unknown beings lurking in the forest.

The queer romance between Dom and Lex doesn’t pull away from the eerie atmosphere but builds on it. The village is small where it’s almost an open secret the two men are in a relationship but shunned by the religious population. They have dreams of moving away from the town, but so many factors have you feeling it’s desperately fragile.

The prose is beautiful and rich with mystery, leading the story in directions I truly didn’t see coming. I was pleasantly surprised by several plot twists that kept me fully invested until the final page. I highly recommend this for any horror lover looking for a perfect autumn or winter read—it’s the kind of story that will keep you looking over your shoulder during those long, cold nights.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

[erica utti-hodge ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this book!

As the Snow Gathers is a fantastical, romantic horror novel that I think a lot of people would enjoy reading. I found the pacing to be perfect (there is never a time where things feel too rushed or like the plot is dragging) and the Fanteur are a compellingly scary adversary. I really enjoyed the sweetness of Lex and Dom's relationship, and Joyce made their decision to continue running towards horror make sense in context.

I have two main critiques of this book: firstly, the prose does not read in any way like the 19th century. I understand that this makes the book more accessible and quicker to read, but I would have liked the dialogue at least to draw me in and make me feel rooted in the 19th c. Secondly, I think Dominic's characterization throughout the book does not follow closely enough to make his character growth make complete sense in the end.

I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a quick, relatively light read who enjoys thrillers or more romantic horror novels!

[Kiley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Advance copy received from Netgalley. Review voluntarily provided.

This was a horribly dreary and miserable book about a small Canadian village being preyed on by *something* in the forest that they are actively chopping down.

The setting and atmosphere: miserable, cold, and suffocating. The characters: miserable, cold, and MEAN. The creatures in the forest: brutal and unforgiving. The only light in the whole thing is Dom and Lex and their plan to escape it all together.

Honestly, it was a slow and brutal book with a slow build, but the build paid off, I think. Dom was a compelling character and I wanted to know where his story ended given the absolute terror that had taken over the village. I loved him and Lex and the small sanctuary they built between them. Even though they were miserable, they weren't miserable because of each other - quite the opposite and it was that bit of lightness that kept me going. It helped to have them so thoroughly on each other's side when everyone else was so cruel and cold and greedy.

I've loved reading Mere Joyce's Oracle of Senders series, so I'm glad to have liked this one, too!

[Michael Herbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the Snow Gathers is a slow-burn read with a gradual buildup. Mere Joyce takes their time with the world-building of the small, isolated village of Aplin Shade and with establishing the characters—particularly the relationship between the main couple, Dominic and Lex. As I continued reading, my investment in their relationship, as well as those of the other villagers, deepened. The atmosphere and tension were fantastic.

For the first two-thirds of the book, I was completely invested. Unfortunately, the final third left much to be desired. There’s a major shift that felt like it came out of nowhere and left me frustrated. Joyce carefully builds tension between the villagers, the loggers, and the two main characters, but the sudden change made it feel as though I was reading an entirely different story.

Overall, I really enjoyed As the Snow Gathers until the last third. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Heather Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story had me stressed. In the best way. It’s 1863 in a remote Canadian village. There’s something in the woods feeding on their dead but things take a turn when they start targeting the living.

The first bit of this is a slow burn. We’re introduced to the characters and learn about what’s lurking in the woods. Most of the villagers suck. Everyone is struggling and having a miserable time in the middle of winter. I found myself only rooting for Dom, Lex and their friends. Dom and Lex’s love was the only bright spot. They’re just trying to survive until the Spring when they can leave the village behind and start over somewhere else.

The setting is eerie. The atmosphere is tense. The Fanteur are absolutely creepy. After we get through the slow build this story takes a turn in to unhinged territory. The ending was incredible. Not quite what I was expecting and I love that.

This was a great horror story! Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for my early copy!

[Kaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

This snowy, dread-filled story follows Dom and the inhabitants of a small village in Canada set in 1863. Lurking in the woods is a presence they've always known and accepted as part of their lives. But when their presence becomes a threat, Dom tries his best to figure out how to stop them before he loses everything he holds dear, even if it means making sacrifices.

This story was a great atmospheric read and I almost wish I had been able to save it for winter! The creeping mystery kept me engaged but the pace was a little slow for my personal liking. If you're a fan of slow burns, this will be for you. The love story that intertwines with the horror was a pleasant change from usual horror stories. The characters were well-developed and easily imagined to be real. If you're looking for a slow-burn folk horror story with a touch of love, definitely check this one out.

[Mya Joan Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved As the Snow Gathers. This book felt incredibly dark, haunting, and strangely beautiful all at the same time. The atmosphere pulled me in immediately — the cold, quiet setting and the creeping sense that something terrible was lurking just beneath the surface made it impossible to put down.

What stood out to me the most was how beautifully written the darkness was. Even in the most unsettling moments, the story had this poetic quality that made every scene feel vivid and emotional. I found myself completely immersed in the eerie mood and tension.

I also loved how the story slowly unfolded, revealing more and more of the mystery while keeping that heavy, chilling tone throughout. By the end, I was left feeling both disturbed and amazed by how powerful the storytelling was.

A dark and mesmerizing read that I won’t forget anytime soon.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC of As the Snow Gathers from NetGalley in exchange for my review. This novel follows residents of the town of Aplin Shade, from the point of visas of town solicitor Dom, who is in a secret relationship with one of the town’s loggers. The town’s permanent residents have a tenuous relationship with the more impermanent loggers, who do seasonal work and as years pass, have grown to irritate the “Fanteur” a mythical creature that occupies the woodlands outside the village. Where minor robberies and attacks on corpses believe to be committed by the Fanteur escalate into attacks on the living, the townsfolk quickly blame the loggers and tensions boil over.

I loved the gothic, atmospheric tension of this novel. The characters were well developed for the novel’s shorter length; I would have loved to know more about the historical context of the land pre Aplin Shade and the history surrounding the Fanteur. Not that the author did not do a good job, it was just so richly set up there would have been so much more that could have been explored! I can’t wait to explore more of this author’s work, and I loved this novel.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

***Includes a semi-spoiler****

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

As the Snow Gathers is a 5 star read, and my decision was an easy one. The mood is so atmospheric throughout. You can really feel the villagers' misery and their fear. You can really feel the agony and drudgery of living their lives. The way the Fanteur are introduced and described is pretty terrifying. If I had to find something to pick at, it would be this: after *the death* it felt like I was reading a different book. It took a bit of a turn and it almost felt like I was reading a book that was missing a chapter or something. It seemed like I got ripped out of one book and dropped in another. It felt just a little disjointed at that point. But overall? 5 stars. I really enjoyed this creative, fun, and pretty creepy read.

[alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very bleak, desolate novel that felt as despairing as its setting. It was a horror about inescapability, of the inevitable loss man undergoes when they attempt to claim the natural world for themselves. The most horrific aspects dealt with how evil and indifference roots deep into people’s lives, and the cost of looking the other way for too long.

Unique in that there was no particular villian, nor an evil that could be conquered, this story was refreshing to read in how it handled the Fanteur. It didn’t shy away from anything, and characters didn’t have ridiculous plot armour here either, which I appreciated. The characterization was done well, although they did at some points just feel like horrible people for the sake of it. The MC was easy to get frustrated with about the passivity he was expressing for a lot of the book.

I was also unsure about the wider worldbuilding — I couldn’t tell if this set in the historical past, with obviously the town and the paranormal aspects being fictional, or an alternate world entirely. I feel that a bit more world building or grounding/establishing elements would’ve made it easier to understand, and further detail on how the Fanteur came about, at least at the end, would’ve helped flesh out the story overall.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest review!