Shantallow

by Cara Martin, C.K. Kelly Martin

Tanvi isn’t the girl of Misha’s dreams; she’s the girl from his nightmares. She has appeared in his chilling dreams before he even meets her; when he DOES meet her, he falls for her.

Their relationship turns stormy, bordering on abusive, and takes a dramatic turn when they are held captive by a group hoping to extract money from Tanvi’s wealthy family.

But there is something more sinister at work, and the kidnappers and their victims find themselves struggling for survival as a supernatural force from Misha’s nightmares makes itself known in the real world.

Genres: Horror

240 pages, Paperback

Published May 12, 2019

Reviews

[Leelynn (Sometimes Leelynn Reads) ❤ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Cara Martin, Cormorant Books and Xpresso Book Tours for this free copy.



Kidnapping, Supernatural Elements,
Toxic Relationship, Strong Language,
Sex (off-screen)



POC, Trans

You know that saying “never judge a book by its cover”? Well… I guess I shouldn’t have done that here. Part of me was right though, this book got creepy as heck and I was a little scared to keep going, but then I did and it got way creepier than I thought it would be. The title and the cover didn’t give me any real indication on what this would be about, and the blurb really doesn’t tell me what I was in for. Either way, I’m glad that I had this opportunity.

One of the things that was hard for me to deal with when reading this book was the relationship aspect of this novel. Seeing the blurb calling it borderline abusive had me worried because I didn’t want to be triggered in a way that I wasn’t going to be able to expect or handle. I did have to take some time to read this one though because of it, and mentally prepare myself for whatever was going to come. Luckily, I think that not having it cross that threshold of what an abusive relationship at its worse could be kind of helped, but it did still hurt to read.

"When things go bad you’re supposed to walk away from them and stay away. It’s survival instinct. You don’t poke around in the mess, dragging your hands through it like a four-year-old with fingerpaint." ~ Misha

Something about this part really stood out to me, because this is the very beginning. You would think that with Misha logically knowing that his survival instincts should be kicking in when it comes to Tanvi, he ends up making the complete opposition decision. Even though he specifically said that you’re supposed to walk away and stay away. I get that you can’t always help who you fall for, and sometimes you don’t realize how toxic someone can be until you’re already in it and have to experience it for yourself, but I feel like he warned himself from the beginning and still wanted to see if it would really hurt.

I feel like he put himself in a bad situation even though he warned himself not to get in that situation, which makes it even worse because he could have avoided all of this if he stuck to his guns.

While I personally don’t like it when timelines jump back and forth, I get why authors try to do it that way. I honestly forget the terminology that it’s called when you come in to the middle of a story intentionally, but that’s what happens here. It kind of makes the reader want to know “so what’s going on, and what happened that led these characters to this point of the story?” It’s a good thing that Martin does end up going backwards in time to explain, but maybe it would have worked in a different way? I’m not sure. It didn’t take away from me finishing the novel or enjoying it in any way, just a personal preference.

Oh. Revenge porn. Not good. Just saying.

So I think that this was a pretty interesting novel. Like some of the other reviews that I’ve read, we are left with some unanswered questions in the end, so the story doesn’t tie up in a pretty bow afterwards. Sometimes that’s okay, and leaving a story open ended can leave room for some cool imagination. In this one, it makes me wonder if there’s going to be another book, but I don’t know if it would be long enough to be considered a sequel, or maybe just a novella. Either way, I’d love to see some of our unanswered questions… answered. You know?

[Toya (thereadingchemist) · Rating 3 out of 5]

With the upcoming spooky season upon us, after reading the premise for Shantallow, I knew that I definitely needed to read this book. While I don’t typically read horror (I’m a huge chicken), I’m such a sucker for supernatural horror (apparently my brain thinks that they are different).

When I first started reading this one, I was incredibly confused because I wasn’t sure what was a nightmare and what was reality. The story opens with Misha having recurring supernatural nightmares that involve the same girl. One day while doing his landscape work, he sees her. Rather than run for the hills (I mean she’s literally from his nightmares), he becomes infatuated with Tanvi. They become a couple, and at first things are what you’d expect. However, things start changing thanks to a lot of jealousy and assumptions, which results in a toxic and abusive relationship. I’ll be honest, this part of the story line was not my favorite just because I’ve witnessed relationships like this, and it’s always just bad news.

The story really kicks off when Tanvi and Misha are kidnapped. The kidnappers think that they are in for a big pay out by holding them for ransom since Tanvi’s family is wealthy. What they don’t account for is the supernatural monsters from Misha’s nightmares that are now after all of them. Now they must find a way to band together to make it out alive.

The creepiness factor is this book is definitely on point. This is one of those books that I recommend not reading before bed. The world building was also well done. Overall, if you’re looking for a fast paced supernatural horror that will bring chills down your spine, this is it.

Thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for providing a copy of this book. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

[CC · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There are so many ways to hurt someone. You're practically spoiled for choice."

So this is horror, which I normally don't read. But leave it to Martin to do a YA character-based horror that somehow leaves me feeling all kinds of hope at the end. WTF? How is that even possible? Hahaha. I felt more hope at the end of this than I do reading a light fluffy book. It had that specific sort of nostalgic, truth-filled Stand By Me vibe at the end, and I really appreciated that.

Moving at a fast pace, the first person narration gives it a raw edge from the get-go and keeps you in Misha's head. Anger-ridden Misha, in a fit of jealousy, does something awful to his "former" girlfriend, the ultra-wealthy Tanvi. But he soon finds himself at her house, where kidnappers swoop them (and two others) up. Planted at a house in the woods until a ransom can come through, both the kidnappers and the kidnapped start experiencing a whole lotta not-good shit.

All the stuff with Misha's abusive father and his struggle to not be like him was so well done. Metaphorically, this is on a whole other level than basic horror -- the past haunting you and turning you into something you don't want to be, and facing that, and forgiving yourself and then changing -- very spot-on, all of this, but none of it was preachy.

Oh, man, I felt like it was me wandering in the woods for a good long time too, with the voices coming at me. THIS IS WHY I DON'T WALK IN THE WOODS ALONE!!!!!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

(This review will be on my blog All the Ups and Downs soon.)
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Supernatural horror is one of my favorite genres. Through the blogging universe, I came across Shantallow by Cara Martin. After reading the synopsis, I was hooked. When the opportunity arose to review Shantallow, I couldn't turn it down. Luckily, I enjoyed it!

I felt like the plot of Shantallow was a little confused to begin with. It started out as a teen love story between to high school kids gone wrong thanks to jealousy. However, after about thirty percent through the book, it quickly became a supernatural horror story about an evil haunted house. I thought this would focus on the nightmare that the main character, Misha, has about Tanvi. The nightmare, to me, only seems brushed upon. This didn't take away my enjoyment from the story though. I will admit that the whole love story in the beginning was a bit slow, and I did find myself wondering if I should continue. I'm really glad I persevered because after the love story, this book really takes off. It was as if Shantallow sank it's teeth into my attention span and didn't let go. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next in the evil house known as Shantallow. The creepy factor was definitely there throughout!

The ending of Shantallow felt a little as if the author didn't know how to end the book. It seemed rushed and too quick to end without being explained. Although Shantallow didn't end in any cliffhangers, I was still left with unanswered questions. Perhaps Shantallow will end up being a series, and my questions about the house will be answered.

The diversity of characters in Shantallow was done fantastically. I also enjoyed each of the characters once this book got going. Tanvi was an interesting character throughout the book. Although I could picture all the characters in my mind, Tanvi was the easiest one to bring alive in my head. She felt so realistic and like she could be someone I know. Misha comes across as really selfish, jealous, and controlling to being with. However, he redeems himself during his time in the Shantallow house with how protective he is over everyone. Lauren was my favorite character. I loved scenes that she was in. She seemed like such a sweet innocent kid.

Trigger warnings for Shantallow include violence, jealousy, murder, death, attempted murder, profanity, sex between teens (although not graphic), evil spirits, and underage drinking.

Despite the hurried ending, Shantallow really is a good read. It's got a very spooky plot and great characters once you get past the love story. I would recommend Shantallow by Cara Martin to older teens and adults aged 17+. If you love scary stories that will keep you up late at night reading with the lights on, Shantallow is the book for you! It definitely made my nights scarier (but I enjoy being scared)!
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(A special thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for providing me with an eBook of Shantallow by Cara Martin in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)

[Jessica (Read book. Repeat) · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can find this review and all of my others over at www.readbookrepeat.com this review will be posted on my blog on the 24th of September as a part of the Blog Tour along with a giveaway!! So be sure to head on over and check it out

I received a copy of this book from Xpresso Tours as a part of a blog tour promotion and giveaway and in exchange for an honest review, this has not impacted my opinions of the story itself.

Misha has been having nightmares. In fact, recurring nightmares. It's always the same. So when he's on a job and spots the literal girl from his nightmares, he can't help but stare. She's real. This draws Misha to her when it should be sending him running as fast as he can, but he can't help it. She's intoxicating, smart, beautiful and his doom, all in one. Their relationship is a dream, until it's not, turning stormy, bordering on abusive, topped off when they are kidnapped and held captive against their will. Only it's not the kidnappers they need to worry about, there's something else, something stalking them, trying to weave it's way into their minds, trying to break them, Misha, Tanvi and the kidnappers find themselves fighting against the supernatural horror from Misha's nightmare, the only thing is, Misha doesn't know how it ends...

I LOVE horror stories. Especially those with a supernatural twist. I'm a sucker for a good ghost story, a haunting, a demonic possession. So when I read the synopsis of this one on the Xpresso Tours sign up page, I. Was. In. However, it didn't play out exactly how I expected it to. The story opens in the present, where we have no clue who these people are or what's exactly going on at the time, we are then catapulted roughly 10 months into the past so we can catch up. The first 40% of the story runs less like a horror story and more like a teenage drama. We have Misha, who has been having a recurring nightmare for so long now, it's all he knows. When he's at a job for the lawn company he works for, he sees Tanvi, the girl he's been dreaming about. Of course he stares, and of course she's put off, initially. What follows is Misha's obsession to know this girl from his nightmares. He's drawn to her in a way that becomes quite frightening if I'm honest. When I say he has an obsession to know this girl, I mean it, he is obsessed, she's all he can think about. Once they finally meet and things progress, they begin a budding romance which seems to be everything they've dreamed of, until things turn sour and Misha turns into, the only way I can describe it, a psycho ex. This part of the story wasn't super riveting and I was a bit worried that I would have to DNF this book, because I really didn't want to do that as it's for a blog tour. So I pushed through and I'm glad that I did, because I can assure you, the story does take a turn for the horror and it's well written. Once I got to the 37% mark, things started to really pick up and I was glad that I'd held out and kept going.

I guess when you think about it, the way that Misha reacts to Tanvi after their relationship goes South could be seen in a vein of horror as well. He becomes unstable, he's fighting through the emotions that he wants to let out. He shares her nude photographs online. He feels glee when he has power over her. Thinking about that after the fact, it is quite terrifying and could be seen in the way of a stalker thriller type story. But that was not what I was here for. I was here for the supernatural force that's been haunting Misha's nightmares. It took a bit to get there, but we did it and it was worth it.

The supernatural part of the story was so well written. I can creep vibes reading it at night before sleep, I had a couple of instances of "should I REALLY be reading this right before I go to sleep?" The feeling of oppression from the supernatural force is conveyed beautifully. And that twist at the end, Oh My! I was living for it. It wasn't super shocking, but I had a "hoollllyyy shiiiitttt, no kidding!" moment when I read it. Martin knows how to write horror, that's for sure.

Tanvi was an okay character, but I struggled to like her at times, it felt like she would rush into situations just to feel something. Misha I have to say I hated a lot more than I kinda liked him. He was brash, obsessive, stalkery, scary and an all around dick, and he can't blame his nightmare for that. It's just who he is. The way he reacted when things went sour with Tanvi made me want to punch him in the throat and scream at him to wake up to himself and stop being a psycho. We are bombarded by the fact that he hated his Dad for the childhood he had, for the pain, tears and bruises that were caused by this man, he is so adamant that he will not be this person, but I feel like he railroaded himself down the same track. He was so hellbent on not being like his father, that he almost became like him. I feel like this was meant to be a part of the story, but it just made me really want to punch Misha and I just struggled to like him at all. The other characters we met were well written and had pivotal roles in the story itself which was nice. All characters had distinctive personalities and voices.

The story starts off, as I stated earlier, like a teenage drama, which turns dark then all of a sudden we are tumbling straight down the damn rabbit hole into a land that is much darker than what I was anticipating, and I freaking loved that about this book. I just wasn't too crazy about the pacing problems in the first half of the book, the main reason that I pushed through was because I had read a couple of reviews that stated the first half of the book was a struggle but the second part is so worth it. So I knew that there was a light at the end of the tunnel. If you pick this book up and are sorely disappointed in what you're reading, just hold on, keep going, wait until you hit that 37% mark because I promise you that it picks up, gets better and turns into that horror read you were hoping for.

[Movies, Shows, & Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual star rating: 3 1/2 stars

Note: This review contains NO spoilers

Let's see... How do I begin. Shantallow is broken up in to three parts. All of which is told in Misha's point of view. I would say that part one and three are set in the present. Then there's part two which goes into Misha and Tanvi's past and relationship... all before what took place in part one and what is taking place in part three. In the beginning, in part one, I guess it sets up the suspense of what is to come and what has been happening to Misha with regards to his nightmares. It is clear that there is a connection with his nightmares and what is happening with him and Tanvi. Then there is part two which read as a YA romance as readers are taken through Misha and Tanvi's relationship. When we get to part three, it starts off where part one left one... The kidnapping and such. Anyways, things go dark and creepy quickly as they are taken. And, I am not kidding when I say it got creepy... like under the skin kind of creepiness. It's giving me shivers as I write this review.

Shantallow has great word-building and well-developed characters which created a dark and chilling story creepy enough to bring shivers down my spine. The horror feel was a lot more prominent in part three; however, I did not care for the hurried ending. I felt that more needed to be told to end this horror story. In the end, I found that Shantallow is an intriguing horror story that will invoke all the spookiness and creepiness needed to get readers to hide under the covers...haha!!! This is a good read for the Halloween season!

Reviewer: Jasmine
Disclaimer: We received a free copy for an honest review. All is my own opinion

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s that time of year when I crave horror novels like chocolate! Shantallow was a book I didn’t think twice about saying yes to, because it is right up my alley! I’m glad I had the opportunity to read it because it gave me the scares I hoped for!

My only irk about this novel was too much time spent on a romance I’m not sure the book needed. Once we were through that though, Shantallow took off and had me gripping my Kindle for dear life. Cara Martin knows how to write the creepy factor and I loved that about this book!

The ending was a bit rushed for my tastes. I wanted it to slow down a little in the end and answer all of my questions. As it stands, the book was a little unevenly paced, but for about 80% of it, I was kept on the edge of my seat. I absolutely loved the thrill ride and didn’t want to get off.

Cara Martin has a talent when it comes to creating a diverse cast of characters. Every one of them came alive for me and I really enjoyed reading their stories.

Jealousy, murder, evil spirits…Shantallow is an awesome read for this time of year. Despite the couple of irks I had, overall, I really loved this book! A great plot, great cast of characters and great themes. I recommend checking this one out!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Xpresso Book Tours. All opinions are my own.*

Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com

[Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shantallow is billed as a young adult horror novel. After reading the synopsis, I was sold. YA and horror are two of my favorite genres. I was really looking forward to this book. Unfortunately, I struggled with it a bit, and I didn't like it as much as I had hoped I would.
This book takes a while to really get going. The first 40% or so is more like a teenage drama playing out, rather than the straight-up horror I expected. Once it did get going, though, it was intriguing enough, and I did like the horror aspects of the story, but still felt a little let down by it.
I didn't really like any of the characters. Misha is a bit of a jerk. He does some awful things, and he reminded me a bit of my ex-husband. Tanvi is a bit wishy-washy at times. I wanted her to be...different, I guess. I expected more from her.
The supernatural element was pretty nifty, though. I just wish it had carried through the entire story rather than coming in way later. The first half of the book was a bit bland and made me want to give up multiple times. But the last half kept me interested enough to finish, so that was a bit of a redemption.
I'm rating Shantallow 3 stars. It wasn't really what I expected, and I almost put it in my "did not finish" pile, but the ending was the saving grace.
If you're a fan of YA horror, give Shantallow a go. While it wasn't necessarily my cup of tea, it's not a bad read, and other readers may enjoy it more.

[Catriona Lovett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Young Love and Bad Dreams

What a painful, hopeless, terrible, horrifying, beautiful book. The prose is magical. The characters are vivid and appealing, their broken parts heartbreaking. From the first sentence, feelings of dread grew from every word, masterfully woven into a multidimensional story that dug its way under my skin like a tick. 

Building layer upon layer, the fear and despair of the characters wrapped around me, pulling me into their nightmare turned into impossible reality. The author kept ratcheting up the tension as the story progressed and I. Could. Not. Stop. Reading. 

I look forward to more from this author. 

Aside from being an unforgettable horror tale, this book features older teenagers as the central characters and tells their story of first love. There's shocking violence and other elements are suitable for mature readers, including domestic violence, drug addiction, and mental illness. 

[Icy_Space_Cobwebs Join the Penguin Resistance! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Canadian Challenge


A multicultural coming-of-age story in which magical realism, fantasy, otherworldly dimensions, the nature of family and the nature of family dysfunctions all combine in significance (as do classism, crime, and ethnicism).

[Jenny Bromback · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark and twisty. Had a hard time getting into this one, but about halfway through, i was hooked. 1st chapter is simile after metaphor after simile. It gets a bit old after the 1st paragraph. Somber mood of this book is perfect for a rainy weekend read.

[Kaili (Owl Book World) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hate to say it but I almost put this book down. I'm glad I didn't. The first half of this book is what I didn't like. Don't get me wrong it's not bad but I've never really liked books that seem to almost consistently skips months a time throughout the book to progress it. To me it makes it hard to really get to know the characters and decide whether or not if I like them. However, the second half of the book I really did end up liking. I love scary books that have a supernatural element. I really liked how the book ended too. I've always liked books with endings you don't quite expect.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

The short blurb bit: Shantallow is a novel about a young man named, Misha. He lives under the weight of repetitive nightmares and a father who wasn’t good for him. But in his dreams there is a beautiful girl.. and then, he meets her in real life. Tanvi, cocky and beautiful and all the things that Misha wants in a girl – says she will go out with him and very quickly they become a couple.

Things become unmanageable when Misha can’t control his temper… or his feelings … and he definitely can’t control Tanvi. As their relationship becomes dark and vindictive, they become victims of a kidnapping. But the place the kidnappers take them to has a dark secret all of its own.

The descriptive bit: If you like poetic prose, and a mystery then this will be a good title for you. The relationship between Misha and Tanvi is a destructive one and it runs its course throughout the story. Running parallel to the love story is a story about a haunting. Misha and Tanvi are drawn into the supernatural part of the story through no will of their own but they will have to work together to survive.

My thoughts bit: I really enjoyed the artwork that is in the book, it made this book much eerier. Overall, the story is very dark. The relationship between Tanvi and Misha is borderline-abusive, and certainly toxic after a certain point. It was a little difficult to read about Misha’s desperation when it came to Tanvi… but then I don’t think of that as a criticism. If a book makes me feel something … then I think it is very well written.

The unraveling of the main relationship happens quickly and escalates to a dangerous point before they manage to separate. It’s sad and more than a bit heart-breaking, but I think it’s also very realistic. Sometimes, the things that we feel the most strongly can cause us to panic when we think we are losing them.

Martin’s writing is very descriptive and I found myself reading some of the passages more than once because they were so beautiful. Even the spooky sections of the book … and there are a lot … are riveting because of the way they are written.

The story flows beautifully. Nightmares that Misha has been living with begin to come to life and he has to unravel the mystery in order to fight for his life. I won’t give away the plot of the story because I don’t want to ruin it but this isn’t the kind of book you should read if you want to have a HEA.

The warnings bit: mentions substance abuse, abusive relationship, bullying (including posting nude photos without permission), descriptions of dead bodies, violence.

[C.K. Martin]

I have trouble giving books ratings even when I'm not their author, but of course I liked it alot!