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Black Winter #1
Voices in the Snow
Clare remembers the cold. She remembers abandoned cars and children’s toys littered across the road. She remembers dark shapes in the snow and a terror she can’t explain. And then…nothing.
When she wakes, aching and afraid in a stranger’s gothic home, he tells her she was in an accident. He claims he saved her. Clare wants to leave, but a vicious snowstorm has blanketed the world in white, trapping them together, and there’s nothing she can do but wait.
At least the stranger seems kind…but Clare doesn’t know if she can trust him. He promised they were alone here, but she sees and hears things that convince her something else is creeping about the surrounding woods, watching. Waiting. Between the claustrophobic storm and the inescapable sense of being hunted, Clare is on edge…and increasingly certain of one thing:
Her car crash wasn't an accident. Something is waiting for her to step outside the fragile safety of the house... something monstrous, something unfeeling.
Something desperately hungry.
When she wakes, aching and afraid in a stranger’s gothic home, he tells her she was in an accident. He claims he saved her. Clare wants to leave, but a vicious snowstorm has blanketed the world in white, trapping them together, and there’s nothing she can do but wait.
At least the stranger seems kind…but Clare doesn’t know if she can trust him. He promised they were alone here, but she sees and hears things that convince her something else is creeping about the surrounding woods, watching. Waiting. Between the claustrophobic storm and the inescapable sense of being hunted, Clare is on edge…and increasingly certain of one thing:
Her car crash wasn't an accident. Something is waiting for her to step outside the fragile safety of the house... something monstrous, something unfeeling.
Something desperately hungry.
352 pages, Paperback
First published November 18, 2019
1856 people are currently reading
17773 people want to read
About the author
Darcy Coates
69 books14.1k followersDarcy Coates is the USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen horror and suspense novels.
She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates
She lives in the Central Coast of Australia with her family, cat, and a collection of chickens. Her home is surrounded by rolling wilderness on all sides, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
You can hear about her next book by joining her newsletter: www.darcycoates.com/updates
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,702 reviews
January 29, 2023
MY TEASE…
As an apocalyptic event spreads—turning whole cities and towns into isolated “quiet zones,” Clare risks driving in a worsening snowstorm. She can’t deviate from the plan: After picking up her aunt, she’ll head to her sister’s house. Together, maybe they can survive “the stillness” in her sister’s fortified bunker.
Trouble is, Clare’s aunt lives on the other side of Banksy Forest. Trouble is, something in the forest doesn’t want her to make it through.
Clare wakes up in Winterbourne Hall, a massive estate hidden deep within the forest. The Morthorne family owns the century-old mansion and their youngest son has remained for the winter. In fact, Dorran is attending to Clare’s strange wounds.
“The stillness” has not spared the estate and Clare is about to learn that the house and grounds are anything but quiet.
Is survival even in her grasp?
THOUGHTS…
Things to use a cheerful voice about:
If I were to make up a comp mash-up to describe this story, I would say it’s: THE SHINING (minus ghosts) meets zombies. In other words, this story held a lot of promise. Who doesn’t like a gargantuan mansion that’s isolated in a blizzard with strange things happening?
Also, this book’s first chapter is one of the BEST hooks I’ve read in a long, long time. After Chapter 1, I was not going to put this book down. Kudos to the author!
Things to use a whiny voice about:
Have you seen the GEICO commercials that make a spoof about horror movies? Example: Teens are being chased by something evil on the grounds of a scary mansion. To get away, one teen suggests hopping into the idling car and driving to safety. But the majority say going into the basement or hiding in the cemetery would be safer! LOL!
Okay, so that’s Clare…running into the basement or attic or out into the snowstorm underdressed and injured. Yeah, those are great ideas when something is hunting you!
Things to use a snarly voice about:
I purchased this book because I wanted to read ghost fiction. On Amazon, VOICES IN THE SNOW is listed and rated in three genres, one of which is GHOST THRILLERS where it’s ranked #38. Yet, there is NOT ONE GHOST in this story. Not even a strange mist drifts across the snow that might resemble a ghost. I was not happy. I kept thinking…okay, maybe Clare is really a ghost. Or maybe her sidekick Dorran is. Or maybe a ghost is going to show up! Nope!
Hear me loud and clear about the voices: They do not belong to GHOSTS!!!
One more…grrrrrr!
I prefer reading about the aftermath of an apocalypse versus the events that led up to it. Having said that, I do want some understanding of what precipitated “the stillness” or “quiet zones” or turned some humans into “hollows.”
The explanation was as prominent as….wait for it….GHOSTS :)
QUICKFIRE RATINGS from 1 (ugh) to 5 (woo-hoo)…
Plot (the story): 3.5
Main character’s likability: 3
Development of supporting character(s): 3
Settings/Atmosphere: 5
Pacing (how fast did I turn the pages): 3.5
Believability of the story: 2
Satisfying ending: 3
Tension of the story: 3
Stirs the heart (romantic elements): 3
Did I solve the mystery/guess the ending before the reveal? Yes
OVERALL:
VOICES IN THE SNOW had SUCH potential. It was definitely enjoyable, but for me, it fell short of being so much more. I was disappointed. And let’s not forget: I thought I was getting GHOSTS!
As an apocalyptic event spreads—turning whole cities and towns into isolated “quiet zones,” Clare risks driving in a worsening snowstorm. She can’t deviate from the plan: After picking up her aunt, she’ll head to her sister’s house. Together, maybe they can survive “the stillness” in her sister’s fortified bunker.
Trouble is, Clare’s aunt lives on the other side of Banksy Forest. Trouble is, something in the forest doesn’t want her to make it through.
Clare wakes up in Winterbourne Hall, a massive estate hidden deep within the forest. The Morthorne family owns the century-old mansion and their youngest son has remained for the winter. In fact, Dorran is attending to Clare’s strange wounds.
“The stillness” has not spared the estate and Clare is about to learn that the house and grounds are anything but quiet.
Is survival even in her grasp?
THOUGHTS…
Things to use a cheerful voice about:
If I were to make up a comp mash-up to describe this story, I would say it’s: THE SHINING (minus ghosts) meets zombies. In other words, this story held a lot of promise. Who doesn’t like a gargantuan mansion that’s isolated in a blizzard with strange things happening?
Also, this book’s first chapter is one of the BEST hooks I’ve read in a long, long time. After Chapter 1, I was not going to put this book down. Kudos to the author!
Things to use a whiny voice about:
Have you seen the GEICO commercials that make a spoof about horror movies? Example: Teens are being chased by something evil on the grounds of a scary mansion. To get away, one teen suggests hopping into the idling car and driving to safety. But the majority say going into the basement or hiding in the cemetery would be safer! LOL!
Okay, so that’s Clare…running into the basement or attic or out into the snowstorm underdressed and injured. Yeah, those are great ideas when something is hunting you!
Things to use a snarly voice about:
I purchased this book because I wanted to read ghost fiction. On Amazon, VOICES IN THE SNOW is listed and rated in three genres, one of which is GHOST THRILLERS where it’s ranked #38. Yet, there is NOT ONE GHOST in this story. Not even a strange mist drifts across the snow that might resemble a ghost. I was not happy. I kept thinking…okay, maybe Clare is really a ghost. Or maybe her sidekick Dorran is. Or maybe a ghost is going to show up! Nope!
Hear me loud and clear about the voices: They do not belong to GHOSTS!!!
One more…grrrrrr!
I prefer reading about the aftermath of an apocalypse versus the events that led up to it. Having said that, I do want some understanding of what precipitated “the stillness” or “quiet zones” or turned some humans into “hollows.”
The explanation was as prominent as….wait for it….GHOSTS :)
QUICKFIRE RATINGS from 1 (ugh) to 5 (woo-hoo)…
Plot (the story): 3.5
Main character’s likability: 3
Development of supporting character(s): 3
Settings/Atmosphere: 5
Pacing (how fast did I turn the pages): 3.5
Believability of the story: 2
Satisfying ending: 3
Tension of the story: 3
Stirs the heart (romantic elements): 3
Did I solve the mystery/guess the ending before the reveal? Yes
OVERALL:
VOICES IN THE SNOW had SUCH potential. It was definitely enjoyable, but for me, it fell short of being so much more. I was disappointed. And let’s not forget: I thought I was getting GHOSTS!
February 6, 2021
I enjoyed the book. I was just looking for a little bit more of something 🤔
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
February 1, 2025
This was a simple easy read. I liked the mystery and confusion in the beginning, trying to figure out what on earth was going on. The author did an excellent job at providing us with several possibilities all while being incredibly unsure what option seemed more plausible.
I’d give this 3.75 stars but I rounded up because I wanted to see where the story goes, so clearly it caught me enough to make me move onto the second book in a 4 book series. I took off a star because there were a few things about the antagonist and relationship aspects between the FMC and MC that kind of made me scrunch my eyebrows in dislike. Other than that, without spoiling anything, I liked the premise.
The FMC is on the way to get to her family member when something happens that causes her plans to be thrown tot he wind. We follow them as we unravel the truth of what’s going on. Is it her? Is it the town? Is it the world???
I’d classify this as a suspenseful mystery with the beginnings of an apocalypse and a sprinkle of non-spicy romance.
I’d give this 3.75 stars but I rounded up because I wanted to see where the story goes, so clearly it caught me enough to make me move onto the second book in a 4 book series. I took off a star because there were a few things about the antagonist and relationship aspects between the FMC and MC that kind of made me scrunch my eyebrows in dislike. Other than that, without spoiling anything, I liked the premise.
The FMC is on the way to get to her family member when something happens that causes her plans to be thrown tot he wind. We follow them as we unravel the truth of what’s going on. Is it her? Is it the town? Is it the world???
I’d classify this as a suspenseful mystery with the beginnings of an apocalypse and a sprinkle of non-spicy romance.
January 4, 2020
This was my first Darcy Coates book, but won't be my last! I ended up reading this for 3 reasons. One, it is the January group read for "Creatures, Creatures Everywhere!", two, for the #LadiesFirst20 challenge and three, for the free space in the Cancelathon readathon going on this month.
It starts off with Clare wanting to relax like she normally does on Sundays, with a good book, but it seems cities all over the world are suddenly going quiet. They can't be contacted. Anyone who goes in never comes back out. No one knows what's going on. And the "quiet zones" are spreading. So she plans to bunker down with her sister and her aunt. But she never makes it. She has a car crash in a forest area. She wakes up in a stranger's mansion with a guy taking care of her. His name is Dorran. And she initially can't remember everything that happened Sunday morning before the crash (it slowly all comes back to her).
I absolutely loved the atmosphere and the crazy winter weather! The atmosphere, the weather and the mansion (that is basically crumbling), were so well done. The first half of the book is slow but I was never bored. I was taken with what I was learning about the world, the setting, the creepy old house that's falling apart, the characters.
I really enjoyed the characters, Clare and Dorran. I loved how I thought I knew where the plot was going, or sort of anyway, I had a few theories...and they were all wrong. Completely. The plot ended up being twisty and very creepy! The second half of the book really picked up the pace and I didn't want to put it down! Not everything is explained (and not in a bad way) but the sequel is set to come out in April at the moment and I am very much looking forward to it! I know I haven't said much but at the same time I feel like if I say anything more it'll spoil things and I don't want to do that.
It starts off with Clare wanting to relax like she normally does on Sundays, with a good book, but it seems cities all over the world are suddenly going quiet. They can't be contacted. Anyone who goes in never comes back out. No one knows what's going on. And the "quiet zones" are spreading. So she plans to bunker down with her sister and her aunt. But she never makes it. She has a car crash in a forest area. She wakes up in a stranger's mansion with a guy taking care of her. His name is Dorran. And she initially can't remember everything that happened Sunday morning before the crash (it slowly all comes back to her).
I absolutely loved the atmosphere and the crazy winter weather! The atmosphere, the weather and the mansion (that is basically crumbling), were so well done. The first half of the book is slow but I was never bored. I was taken with what I was learning about the world, the setting, the creepy old house that's falling apart, the characters.
I really enjoyed the characters, Clare and Dorran. I loved how I thought I knew where the plot was going, or sort of anyway, I had a few theories...and they were all wrong. Completely. The plot ended up being twisty and very creepy! The second half of the book really picked up the pace and I didn't want to put it down! Not everything is explained (and not in a bad way) but the sequel is set to come out in April at the moment and I am very much looking forward to it! I know I haven't said much but at the same time I feel like if I say anything more it'll spoil things and I don't want to do that.
October 11, 2023
This book was deeply disappointing, especially after reading such Darcy Coates stories as Carrow Haunt, From Below, and Hunted.
Voices in the Snow isn't even horror. It's a romance. And a poorly written romance at that. It honestly felt like Stephanie Meyer wrote 90% of this book with the bland damsel in distress and the angsty man who only cares about the damsel's safety. Seriously! He literally locks her in a room against her will to ensure her safety, and even worse, when she escapes and finds him she APPOLIZES to him instead of the other way around. WTF?! What am I reading?? What year was this written? I'll tell you what year! 2020! Again, I say WTF?
The other 10% of this ridiculous novel was actually a proper apocalyptic horror. The "end times" idea was interesting and unique, and the corresponding creatures were creepy. The book had all the makings of a great horror but, unfortunately, it only lasted a few pages before reverting right back to the terrible YA romance.
Voices in the Snow isn't even horror. It's a romance. And a poorly written romance at that. It honestly felt like Stephanie Meyer wrote 90% of this book with the bland damsel in distress and the angsty man who only cares about the damsel's safety. Seriously! He literally locks her in a room against her will to ensure her safety, and even worse, when she escapes and finds him she APPOLIZES to him instead of the other way around. WTF?! What am I reading?? What year was this written? I'll tell you what year! 2020! Again, I say WTF?
The other 10% of this ridiculous novel was actually a proper apocalyptic horror. The "end times" idea was interesting and unique, and the corresponding creatures were creepy. The book had all the makings of a great horror but, unfortunately, it only lasted a few pages before reverting right back to the terrible YA romance.
March 26, 2020
I can tell the author was trying to branch out from the haunted house scene a bit with this book and I can appreciate that, but the execution didn’t work out so well.
We start off with an apocalyptic thriller, which is sort of lackluster and also is periodically an instalove story even though the (really only) two characters are one dimensional and I didn’t believe or care about their interest in each other. Also, we are constantly being told how weird Dorran is, but he’s just a cardboard cut out chivalrous guy who doesn’t use contractions in his tiny and basic sentences. This just makes him sound like a robot, and since there is no humor and Clare isn’t charismatic, there is no chemistry in the wooden dialogue. I can’t even tell if Dorran is a hot robot, because not only are the characters flat, they are barely described at all.
Anyway, I don’t see myself carrying on with the series.
We start off with an apocalyptic thriller, which is sort of lackluster and also is periodically an instalove story even though the (really only) two characters are one dimensional and I didn’t believe or care about their interest in each other. Also, we are constantly being told how weird Dorran is, but he’s just a cardboard cut out chivalrous guy who doesn’t use contractions in his tiny and basic sentences. This just makes him sound like a robot, and since there is no humor and Clare isn’t charismatic, there is no chemistry in the wooden dialogue. I can’t even tell if Dorran is a hot robot, because not only are the characters flat, they are barely described at all.
Anyway, I don’t see myself carrying on with the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2020
I'm still kinda new to Darcy Coates. This book was picked as the January group read for (the group) Creatures, Creatures Everywhere. i bought it and began reading a little early. Darcy weaves an original tale full of foreboding and unease. I enjoyed this setting, the huge, empty and creepy old house. i liked the characters and didn't even mind the little bit of romance thrown in. i didn't mind that some things were not fully explained.
I look forward to reading more by Darcy Coates.
I look forward to reading more by Darcy Coates.
July 30, 2024
I just finished reading VOICES IN THE SNOW and absolutely loved it!! No one writes claustrophobic winter storms like Darcy Coates does. And the storm in this novel is unlike any other in that it brings with it so much more than unrelenting snow and blustery winds. Oh my gosh, I wasn’t ready for it!
I get so engrossed in Darcy’s books that I lose all sense of time and place. If I could, I'd lock myself away in my room for the duration of the book so I could read it in one sitting with absolutely no interrruptions. But life would never allow that! So I do the best I can, stealing time away to read when life will let me. And this book for me was almost impossible to put down!! Can’t wait to read Book 2 in this series!! If you haven’t read Darcy Coates yet, please please change that immediately!!
I get so engrossed in Darcy’s books that I lose all sense of time and place. If I could, I'd lock myself away in my room for the duration of the book so I could read it in one sitting with absolutely no interrruptions. But life would never allow that! So I do the best I can, stealing time away to read when life will let me. And this book for me was almost impossible to put down!! Can’t wait to read Book 2 in this series!! If you haven’t read Darcy Coates yet, please please change that immediately!!
January 14, 2022
I don't know about that twist at the end... But I enjoyed the majority of this book.
The revelation at the last part kinda turned me down a little bit but I'll be continuing the saga nonetheless. And I would recommend it: it was a fun ride!
The revelation at the last part kinda turned me down a little bit but I'll be continuing the saga nonetheless. And I would recommend it: it was a fun ride!
December 25, 2024
Black Winter #1
This is the first book in a tetralogy.
Voices in the Snow begins with a young woman named Clare who is driving in a snowstorm in an attempt to reach her aunt. Something is happening in the world. Cities are disappearing, and a massive weather system has caused mass chaos.
As Clare travels through Winterborne forest, she begins to see shapes appear in the woods. The next thing she knows is that the world goes black and she wakes up in a stranger's home.
Trapped in this Victorian home, which dates back to the 17th century, Clare must learn to trust this stranger as they navigate what's going on in the world.
One thing is for certain, there is an unseen threat waiting for the right time to strike.
_____________________________________________
I never thought that I would give a two star rating to a Darcy Coates book, but here we are. Wow. This story is bad. There are zombies. Also, there's a large Victorian "hidden" mansion that Clare has never seen, although she has been in that forest many times. There's the strange snowstorm that doesn't stop..ever. And cities that are disappearing...Why?
Apart from the crazy storyline, the writing is not good. One minute, Clare is in the house, and the next sentence she is outside in the snow without any explanation of how she got there. Also, the romance was odd and felt forced.
One positive is the book cover. It's stunning. Sadly, the story did not match its brilliance.
This is the first book in a tetralogy.
Voices in the Snow begins with a young woman named Clare who is driving in a snowstorm in an attempt to reach her aunt. Something is happening in the world. Cities are disappearing, and a massive weather system has caused mass chaos.
As Clare travels through Winterborne forest, she begins to see shapes appear in the woods. The next thing she knows is that the world goes black and she wakes up in a stranger's home.
Trapped in this Victorian home, which dates back to the 17th century, Clare must learn to trust this stranger as they navigate what's going on in the world.
One thing is for certain, there is an unseen threat waiting for the right time to strike.
_____________________________________________
I never thought that I would give a two star rating to a Darcy Coates book, but here we are. Wow. This story is bad. There are zombies. Also, there's a large Victorian "hidden" mansion that Clare has never seen, although she has been in that forest many times. There's the strange snowstorm that doesn't stop..ever. And cities that are disappearing...Why?
Apart from the crazy storyline, the writing is not good. One minute, Clare is in the house, and the next sentence she is outside in the snow without any explanation of how she got there. Also, the romance was odd and felt forced.
One positive is the book cover. It's stunning. Sadly, the story did not match its brilliance.
February 6, 2020
In the cold dark depths of horror where blinding white fear and perpetual nightmare reins, a sinister spread of madness driven by a primal instinct disrupts reality in this highly addictive new novel by Darcy Coates.
Through a veil of snow and ignorance, Clare, unassumingly drives head-on into danger after a phone call from her sister, the contents of which remain a mystery which gently unfolds as the plot, not so gently, reaches a fever pitch.
Whilst a solid, singular and sequential story featuring interesting and life-like characters is great, Voices in the Show goes the extra mile in delivering a horror with depth, both in story and character.
For a large portion of the book I thought this was horror of the haunted house variety mixed with a little bit of crazy by virtue of an unsettling and slightly 'off' resident of a secluded mansion who takes Clare in following a car accident in the forest.
How wrong I was.
Echoing elements of Richard Matheson's I Am Legend, Darcy Coates succeeds in scaring the crap out of the reader; creatures hiding in the shadowy corners of dark rooms conjure vivid imagery of Stephen King's Gerald's Game, and an ever present threat of danger, combined with a confined sense of claustrophobia make for one hell of a read.
Through a veil of snow and ignorance, Clare, unassumingly drives head-on into danger after a phone call from her sister, the contents of which remain a mystery which gently unfolds as the plot, not so gently, reaches a fever pitch.
Whilst a solid, singular and sequential story featuring interesting and life-like characters is great, Voices in the Show goes the extra mile in delivering a horror with depth, both in story and character.
For a large portion of the book I thought this was horror of the haunted house variety mixed with a little bit of crazy by virtue of an unsettling and slightly 'off' resident of a secluded mansion who takes Clare in following a car accident in the forest.
How wrong I was.
Echoing elements of Richard Matheson's I Am Legend, Darcy Coates succeeds in scaring the crap out of the reader; creatures hiding in the shadowy corners of dark rooms conjure vivid imagery of Stephen King's Gerald's Game, and an ever present threat of danger, combined with a confined sense of claustrophobia make for one hell of a read.
April 5, 2020
I hate to be rude, but this book was like a bad dream to me. I felt like I was back in 8th grade and had just binge-read Wuthering Heights and ten other Gothic classics plus a few romance novels, then watched I Am Legend and maybe Ants before falling into a disturbed sleep. And after waking, I did my best attempt at merging the genres together to write this book. (I do love Victorian and Gothic classics, by the way. Just saying....) Although at times I didn’t think I could finish it, I kept reading simply to get to whatever plot twist might exist. Really...? I’m glad others have enjoyed the book. It gives me confidence that I, too, could be a USA Today bestselling author. I’m not, and have never written a novel except back in 8th grade. But now my confidence is soaring.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 18, 2020
I bought this book on a whim because I wanted something a bit spooky for the season. I have not read this author before and I have to say I am delighted. I loved the characters immediately especially Clare. The story setting around winter time made everything that much more stark and creepy. The sci-fi element was a surprisingly nice touch which surprises me because more often and not that can make a horror book go south for me. In this it added to the scare. It wasn't keep the lights on kind of scary, but it was creepy and kept me turning the pages.
June 12, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -Kindle Book 📕
December 28, 2019
This felt like a huge departure from the author's other books. Which suffice to say, was a huge disappointment. I loved her traditional atmospheric gothic books (The Carrow Haunt, Haunting of Ashburn House) and even her more recent book (Haunted).
In contrast, this read more like a PG-13 romance for the first 60% of the book. Neither of the characters seemed realistic, nor was I invested in their development. Having read in other reviews that the book takes a detour in tone/character around the 65% mark, I finished the book hoping to (at least) enjoy the ending. This just didn't do it for me, which saddens me as I really adore the author.
In contrast, this read more like a PG-13 romance for the first 60% of the book. Neither of the characters seemed realistic, nor was I invested in their development. Having read in other reviews that the book takes a detour in tone/character around the 65% mark, I finished the book hoping to (at least) enjoy the ending. This just didn't do it for me, which saddens me as I really adore the author.
October 30, 2023
One of my absolute favorite things about Darcy's books ,besides the fact that they are epic , is the way she writes her male leads ....alright don't be judging me . By this I DON'T mean this in a " OMG they're so hot and etc etc ..." .
Her male characters are the stuff of dreams ,to me anyways . 🥰 In Voices of the Snow our hero is Dorran who is the tourtured hero , kind of Byronic ,done the RIGHT WAY , he is old fashioned , compassionate , sacrifices his own needs for the sake of others , he ACTUALLY READS , he's chivalrous , kind . He's a sweetheart ,and darn it we need more men like him , in books ,and the real world .❤️
I really want to rave about how much I loved the book , it was a little slow at times ,but I actually enjoyed the fire side chats . It didn't bother me at all , none of it seemed out of place . The atmosphere of the book sucked me in and thoroughly chilled and terrified me , reading this at one A.M alone didn't help me sleep later ,but I still don't regret it .😂 This story is told in Darcy Coates' unique way which made the many times told apocalyptic , zombie story fresh and enthralling .
I may possibly lose my mind waiting for the next book to be released . * Cries *
Content : PG-13
Disturbing creatures Gore etc
Very mild language
Also PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF OUR EYES BRING BACK THIS COVER !!
Her male characters are the stuff of dreams ,to me anyways . 🥰 In Voices of the Snow our hero is Dorran who is the tourtured hero , kind of Byronic ,done the RIGHT WAY , he is old fashioned , compassionate , sacrifices his own needs for the sake of others , he ACTUALLY READS , he's chivalrous , kind . He's a sweetheart ,and darn it we need more men like him , in books ,and the real world .❤️
I really want to rave about how much I loved the book , it was a little slow at times ,but I actually enjoyed the fire side chats . It didn't bother me at all , none of it seemed out of place . The atmosphere of the book sucked me in and thoroughly chilled and terrified me , reading this at one A.M alone didn't help me sleep later ,but I still don't regret it .😂 This story is told in Darcy Coates' unique way which made the many times told apocalyptic , zombie story fresh and enthralling .
I may possibly lose my mind waiting for the next book to be released . * Cries *
Content : PG-13
Disturbing creatures Gore etc
Very mild language
Also PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF OUR EYES BRING BACK THIS COVER !!
October 28, 2023
Wow! Voices In The Snow is absolutely one of my favorite reads by Darcy. Once I was a few chapters in it became impossible to stop reading; but I also wanted to slow it down so it lasted longer!
I'm going to try to do this with no spoilers.
Dorran and Claire quickly became two of my favorite characters from a fiction book. They were unique, quirky and lovable. The story was a new spin on a subject that frequents supernatural fiction. I really enjoyed the authors interpretation.
I personally enjoyed the open ending allowing for a second book but be aware the story does not wrap up totally at the end due to part 2 coming.
If you have never read anything by Darcy Coates she has this wonderful way of writing that builds suspense while having very little "horror & gore". True to form this book had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys suspense with some romantic moments throughout.
I'm going to try to do this with no spoilers.
Dorran and Claire quickly became two of my favorite characters from a fiction book. They were unique, quirky and lovable. The story was a new spin on a subject that frequents supernatural fiction. I really enjoyed the authors interpretation.
I personally enjoyed the open ending allowing for a second book but be aware the story does not wrap up totally at the end due to part 2 coming.
If you have never read anything by Darcy Coates she has this wonderful way of writing that builds suspense while having very little "horror & gore". True to form this book had me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys suspense with some romantic moments throughout.
March 21, 2021
Not my cup of tea
I don’t know how to review this other than to say it is truly an awful book. I skimmed the last half of it even though I disliked the the silly characters and the story itself. I’m going to stop here. Suffice it to say, I gave it one star.
I don’t know how to review this other than to say it is truly an awful book. I skimmed the last half of it even though I disliked the the silly characters and the story itself. I’m going to stop here. Suffice it to say, I gave it one star.
December 17, 2024
this one fell pretty flat for me, unfortunately. it had a lot of potential and the ending was decent, but it ended up being more of a romance between two characters with no chemistry after one is forced to stay in the other’s house. i’d like to continue the series, especially since the next one is about clare and her sister, but i don’t know. i’d rather not read another 300 pages of a bland romance.
2.5 stars
2.5 stars
Want to read
April 17, 2020Get the most recent file with the most recent cover change. If you already own a copy you can update by visiting amazon and searching the menu Your content and devices. I don't know whether the content is different from past editions but the covers have been changing, this one is the most recent.
October 4, 2023
3.5⭐
This was such an interesting read.
The vibes of this book were immaculate - an isolated setting in the form of a secluded mansion, trapped in the snow, with creatures prowling the surrounding forest? Yes, please. There were so many parts of this that I thought would make for an amazing movie.
I am so intrigued by the mystery of this book, and love that this book spans across so many genres. It's a horror, a thriller, a suspense, a romance, and an apocalyptic book all in one. It kind of felt similar to T. Kingfisher's horrors (except, maybe without the humor).
I really enjoyed this, and although I wasn't the biggest fan of the climax of the novel, I am looking forward to continuing on with the rest of the series.
This was such an interesting read.
The vibes of this book were immaculate - an isolated setting in the form of a secluded mansion, trapped in the snow, with creatures prowling the surrounding forest? Yes, please. There were so many parts of this that I thought would make for an amazing movie.
I am so intrigued by the mystery of this book, and love that this book spans across so many genres. It's a horror, a thriller, a suspense, a romance, and an apocalyptic book all in one. It kind of felt similar to T. Kingfisher's horrors (except, maybe without the humor).
I really enjoyed this, and although I wasn't the biggest fan of the climax of the novel, I am looking forward to continuing on with the rest of the series.
July 15, 2020
3.5 stars. Creative and creepy, it’s a great lazy day read (especially when it’s snowing outside.)
January 17, 2022
TW: Toxic parent relationship, abuse, gaslighting, death of parent
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Clare remembers the cold. She remembers abandoned cars and children’s toys littered across the road. She remembers dark shapes in the snow and a terror she can’t explain. And then…nothing.When she wakes, aching and afraid in a stranger’s gothic home, he tells her she was in an accident. He claims he saved her. Clare wants to leave, but a vicious snowstorm has blanketed the world in white, trapping them together, and there’s nothing she can do but wait.At least the stranger seems kind…but Clare doesn’t know if she can trust him. He promised they were alone here, but she sees and hears things that convince her something else is creeping about the surrounding woods, watching. Waiting. Between the claustrophobic storm and the inescapable sense of being hunted, Clare is on edge…and increasingly certain of one thing:Her car crash wasn't an accident. Something is waiting for her to step outside the fragile safety of the house... something monstrous, something unfeeling.
Release Date: 11/18/2019
Genre: Supernatural
Pages: 336
Rating: ⭐0.5 stars
What I Liked:
• The element of snow
• A creepy mansion and the prospect of ghosts
What I Didn't Like:
• Clare always acting; like she was dumb or was doing dumb things
• This odd insta romance on top of everything else
• The ending/plot twist of creatures
• All the dumb actions of each character
Overall Thoughts: So in typical Darcy Coates fashion we start off with our main character already freaking out and thinking of a way to escape. I get waking up in a strange home would be scary but dude didn't even say he wouldn't take you to your car. Clare is already tried to jump out of a window and tried to sneak out of the bathroom. Jeez at least give him a chance to lie to you before freaking out. So she is dragged back to the house because there is a blizzard out there and she isn't dressed proper, plus she is injured. When she returns she decides to trust Dorran and take the pills. She even had this bright idea to tell him that she has a short wave radio in her car. A smart person who was already on edge would not have said that. I would have kept that to myself and when I was good enough to walk I would have went myself. Now he could just go hide it and say he couldn't find it, just like your phone.
So Dorran decided he wasn't going to go with his family and just gets out of the car to walk 4 hours back home. Didn't he have things packed he was taking with him? He happens to stumble past her not sure how they didn't drive past one another on the road. He finds her and walks home with her injured? I just don't get the how he and his family were never in the snow if she had been driving in it for a while(at least 30 minutes). Clare doesn't even ask him how he managed to get her from the car to the house all while on foot and in the snow.
The constantly contradicts itself. On one page Clare says that she was snowed in for almost a week and on another page she talks about how she was used to storms lasting a few hours sometimes as long as half a day. Three days of unrelenting blizzards wasn't right though.
I love how we went from like Clare trying to escape to Dorran washing her hair like this is totally normal. Like pick a middle ground of trust. Running into the snow without proper clothing; too extreme - letting Dorran wash your hair; weirdly too trusting.
Omg then she gets lost in the wine cellar only to have Dorran find her. He then picks her up and carries her up the stairs. Wtf am I even reading? Did I fall into a Danielle Steel novel? He carries her all the way to her room and leaves and shows up with more soup. Didn't they just eat?? Didn't he just say they had to save food because there they might be trapped? Why are you eating again?
It's driving me insane how many times Dorran is telling Clare how she feels; you're too weak, you're strong enough, and you need to rest. And she keeps going along with it. Like there is a part where she wants to go with him to get the radio but he's all like no you can't. You're my responsibility and I take that seriously while you're in my home, I'll go alone. Who the hell does this dude think he is??? Of course she backs down. Omg you've known (been unconscious) this guy for a total of 3 days and you are letting him tell you what to do. I threw my book and had to calm down. After he has carried her to her room its like she keeps worrying about him the whole time. He locks her in her room and then she is worried that he will get cold without his coat. What?? He locked you in your room! He even locked the other door. How is that not strange? Shouldn't she be the one locking the door from her side? She just thinks this is all normal.
A hail storm out of the blue on a snowy day. Is Dorran in control of the weather and stopping her from getting to her car? Why wouldn't they have packed food incase they got stuck? Why leave the cottage when they are so close? They could go without food for a day and be okay and try to make it to the car the next day.
I hate how insecure Clare is; "Oh Dorran, I'm just holding you back and it's all my fault." It's so cringe worthy. She is constantly doubting herself and rolling up with her knees to her chest.
We find out that Dorran's family (the ones that disagreed with his mother) were murdered by cyanide pills. We find this out because Clare takes one after Dorran tells her the pain pills are above the stove. My question is... Why would he still own them if they killed his family? Wouldn't you get rid of them? How is she not suspicious of him now when so many weird things have happened and he's being more and more controlling of her. He keeps wanting to have her in the room.
Oh and it's now day two of the seeds being planted and this dude saying they are germinating on day two. Get out of here! This is some supernatural shit. Tomatoes that sprout with leaves after 2 days.
How many times is this dude going to carry her around when she can walk?! I've checked the cover many times to see if this a romance but I'm pretty sure it's not.
I was confused why she had to get out of her car when she said it was a hatchback. Couldn't she have just climbed through to the back and get the radio.
So now there are deformed monsters made from the quiet zones. It doesn't any sense why they never killed Clare and just screwed with her mind the whole time. They don't seem to be smart enough to want to toy with her and make her seem crazy. Why wouldn't they have just killed them in the house? Why would they just show themselves to her on and off for a week and run away before Dorran saw them? How did they disappear out of the wine cellar when there was no where to go?
And now Dorran's mother is alive. And she's the villain that has to kill Clare to save her son from Clare. To teach him a lesson. So I guess that's why she didn't kill Clare all the times she had? Don't worry it's really not explained how she is the smartest one that she can talk other than she was from money and they were servant's. Not sure what kind of explanation that even is. 🤷🏻♀️
Beth is alive. And Dorran's mother has escaped. Yay🙄
Final Thoughts: One of the things that drives me crazy about Darcy Coates is that she has like 5 stories going at once. This story you think is about a ghost and stranded woman. But no we find out she's escaping dead zones and areas that are changing people to zombie like creatures. It all feels so out of the blue and completely random. She's always Scooby-Dooing me and it's never with a good plot twist. Not only that but then Dorran's mother kills his family and beat him. It just feels like too much and not in that "ah ha" moment but more in the "this is getting ridiculous" way.
It's like some soap opera storyline. She tries so hard to keep people guessing but when you find out the twist its so outlandish you can't help feeling exhausted and underwhelmed by the conclusion.
I won't be continuing this book series. This one was stupid.
IG | Blog
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Clare remembers the cold. She remembers abandoned cars and children’s toys littered across the road. She remembers dark shapes in the snow and a terror she can’t explain. And then…nothing.When she wakes, aching and afraid in a stranger’s gothic home, he tells her she was in an accident. He claims he saved her. Clare wants to leave, but a vicious snowstorm has blanketed the world in white, trapping them together, and there’s nothing she can do but wait.At least the stranger seems kind…but Clare doesn’t know if she can trust him. He promised they were alone here, but she sees and hears things that convince her something else is creeping about the surrounding woods, watching. Waiting. Between the claustrophobic storm and the inescapable sense of being hunted, Clare is on edge…and increasingly certain of one thing:Her car crash wasn't an accident. Something is waiting for her to step outside the fragile safety of the house... something monstrous, something unfeeling.
Release Date: 11/18/2019
Genre: Supernatural
Pages: 336
Rating: ⭐0.5 stars
What I Liked:
• The element of snow
• A creepy mansion and the prospect of ghosts
What I Didn't Like:
• Clare always acting; like she was dumb or was doing dumb things
• This odd insta romance on top of everything else
• The ending/plot twist of creatures
• All the dumb actions of each character
Overall Thoughts: So in typical Darcy Coates fashion we start off with our main character already freaking out and thinking of a way to escape. I get waking up in a strange home would be scary but dude didn't even say he wouldn't take you to your car. Clare is already tried to jump out of a window and tried to sneak out of the bathroom. Jeez at least give him a chance to lie to you before freaking out. So she is dragged back to the house because there is a blizzard out there and she isn't dressed proper, plus she is injured. When she returns she decides to trust Dorran and take the pills. She even had this bright idea to tell him that she has a short wave radio in her car. A smart person who was already on edge would not have said that. I would have kept that to myself and when I was good enough to walk I would have went myself. Now he could just go hide it and say he couldn't find it, just like your phone.
So Dorran decided he wasn't going to go with his family and just gets out of the car to walk 4 hours back home. Didn't he have things packed he was taking with him? He happens to stumble past her not sure how they didn't drive past one another on the road. He finds her and walks home with her injured? I just don't get the how he and his family were never in the snow if she had been driving in it for a while(at least 30 minutes). Clare doesn't even ask him how he managed to get her from the car to the house all while on foot and in the snow.
The constantly contradicts itself. On one page Clare says that she was snowed in for almost a week and on another page she talks about how she was used to storms lasting a few hours sometimes as long as half a day. Three days of unrelenting blizzards wasn't right though.
I love how we went from like Clare trying to escape to Dorran washing her hair like this is totally normal. Like pick a middle ground of trust. Running into the snow without proper clothing; too extreme - letting Dorran wash your hair; weirdly too trusting.
Omg then she gets lost in the wine cellar only to have Dorran find her. He then picks her up and carries her up the stairs. Wtf am I even reading? Did I fall into a Danielle Steel novel? He carries her all the way to her room and leaves and shows up with more soup. Didn't they just eat?? Didn't he just say they had to save food because there they might be trapped? Why are you eating again?
It's driving me insane how many times Dorran is telling Clare how she feels; you're too weak, you're strong enough, and you need to rest. And she keeps going along with it. Like there is a part where she wants to go with him to get the radio but he's all like no you can't. You're my responsibility and I take that seriously while you're in my home, I'll go alone. Who the hell does this dude think he is??? Of course she backs down. Omg you've known (been unconscious) this guy for a total of 3 days and you are letting him tell you what to do. I threw my book and had to calm down. After he has carried her to her room its like she keeps worrying about him the whole time. He locks her in her room and then she is worried that he will get cold without his coat. What?? He locked you in your room! He even locked the other door. How is that not strange? Shouldn't she be the one locking the door from her side? She just thinks this is all normal.
A hail storm out of the blue on a snowy day. Is Dorran in control of the weather and stopping her from getting to her car? Why wouldn't they have packed food incase they got stuck? Why leave the cottage when they are so close? They could go without food for a day and be okay and try to make it to the car the next day.
I hate how insecure Clare is; "Oh Dorran, I'm just holding you back and it's all my fault." It's so cringe worthy. She is constantly doubting herself and rolling up with her knees to her chest.
We find out that Dorran's family (the ones that disagreed with his mother) were murdered by cyanide pills. We find this out because Clare takes one after Dorran tells her the pain pills are above the stove. My question is... Why would he still own them if they killed his family? Wouldn't you get rid of them? How is she not suspicious of him now when so many weird things have happened and he's being more and more controlling of her. He keeps wanting to have her in the room.
Oh and it's now day two of the seeds being planted and this dude saying they are germinating on day two. Get out of here! This is some supernatural shit. Tomatoes that sprout with leaves after 2 days.
How many times is this dude going to carry her around when she can walk?! I've checked the cover many times to see if this a romance but I'm pretty sure it's not.
I was confused why she had to get out of her car when she said it was a hatchback. Couldn't she have just climbed through to the back and get the radio.
So now there are deformed monsters made from the quiet zones. It doesn't any sense why they never killed Clare and just screwed with her mind the whole time. They don't seem to be smart enough to want to toy with her and make her seem crazy. Why wouldn't they have just killed them in the house? Why would they just show themselves to her on and off for a week and run away before Dorran saw them? How did they disappear out of the wine cellar when there was no where to go?
And now Dorran's mother is alive. And she's the villain that has to kill Clare to save her son from Clare. To teach him a lesson. So I guess that's why she didn't kill Clare all the times she had? Don't worry it's really not explained how she is the smartest one that she can talk other than she was from money and they were servant's. Not sure what kind of explanation that even is. 🤷🏻♀️
Beth is alive. And Dorran's mother has escaped. Yay🙄
Final Thoughts: One of the things that drives me crazy about Darcy Coates is that she has like 5 stories going at once. This story you think is about a ghost and stranded woman. But no we find out she's escaping dead zones and areas that are changing people to zombie like creatures. It all feels so out of the blue and completely random. She's always Scooby-Dooing me and it's never with a good plot twist. Not only that but then Dorran's mother kills his family and beat him. It just feels like too much and not in that "ah ha" moment but more in the "this is getting ridiculous" way.
It's like some soap opera storyline. She tries so hard to keep people guessing but when you find out the twist its so outlandish you can't help feeling exhausted and underwhelmed by the conclusion.
I won't be continuing this book series. This one was stupid.
IG | Blog
June 26, 2024
This was so wild! I was not expecting the twist in the middle or the ending at all! I need to continue on with this series immediately!
November 19, 2020
Um...hmm. I don't know quite how to explain my feelings on this one.
On one hand I liked the creepy, isolated, post apocalyptic feel of the book. And I also liked the gothic throwback horror vibes the author created- but sadly I felt like some of the elements of the book didn't work for a modern setting, and it felt like I was reading two totally different stories in one.
x----------------------------------------------x
So on one hand this book IS a post apocalyptic story- with some strange phenomenon called Dead Zones knocking out communication and mutating humans into some type of canabalistic creature that are really hard to kill.
And our leads are left just trying to survive both the unnatural winter storm that has them hold up in a vast mannor, and they are avoiding dying from starvation plus creepy creatures.
On the other hand we have Dorran's family story line. Which is too... 1800's kind of gothic strange?
His mother is the matriarch of a high society family brought low with bad financial decisions. Okay interesting.
But she is also the kind of woman who has like 50 "servants", and is trying to keep their financially failing old world family from leaving home- through force if necessary. Say what now?
But this is the 21st century I presume...So violent abuse, barring family from leaving, and poisoning/murdering half of the family for not agreeing to her rule is so far removed from the realm of believable I was actually thinking Dorran had had to be some kind of supernatural (like a vampire) for this kind of behavior to make any sense.
I mean, I think someone would notice that people went missing or died under those kind of circumstances...right? I dont know bc his archaic family is just a bit TOO much- I mean mass murder with cyanide? And no one investigates the mysterious deaths? Or the dad's outside family never wondered where he dissapeared to?
It was a bit to weird for moi.
Also, I didn't get Clare's initial flee from Dorran. I get she didn't quite remember the crash but jumping right to kidnapping? She was obviously hurt through cuts and gashes that he bandaged- where does that scream kidnapping?
Also, I'd get her wanting to leave if she remember her aunt...but why was she that paranoid of the guy that she had to leave that instant-in a snow storm-while shes injured and wo provisions-and no exit plan with her car crashed? At that point it was a little scrary being with a stranger- but not life threatening right? Instead of planning she just willy nilly ran open arms into a death sentence.
Anyways, its on KU so if your looking for a creepy horror with a bit or burgeoning romance and mystery- give it a try.
On one hand I liked the creepy, isolated, post apocalyptic feel of the book. And I also liked the gothic throwback horror vibes the author created- but sadly I felt like some of the elements of the book didn't work for a modern setting, and it felt like I was reading two totally different stories in one.
x----------------------------------------------x
So on one hand this book IS a post apocalyptic story- with some strange phenomenon called Dead Zones knocking out communication and mutating humans into some type of canabalistic creature that are really hard to kill.
And our leads are left just trying to survive both the unnatural winter storm that has them hold up in a vast mannor, and they are avoiding dying from starvation plus creepy creatures.
On the other hand we have Dorran's family story line. Which is too... 1800's kind of gothic strange?
His mother is the matriarch of a high society family brought low with bad financial decisions. Okay interesting.
But she is also the kind of woman who has like 50 "servants", and is trying to keep their financially failing old world family from leaving home- through force if necessary. Say what now?
But this is the 21st century I presume...So violent abuse, barring family from leaving, and poisoning/murdering half of the family for not agreeing to her rule is so far removed from the realm of believable I was actually thinking Dorran had had to be some kind of supernatural (like a vampire) for this kind of behavior to make any sense.
I mean, I think someone would notice that people went missing or died under those kind of circumstances...right? I dont know bc his archaic family is just a bit TOO much- I mean mass murder with cyanide? And no one investigates the mysterious deaths? Or the dad's outside family never wondered where he dissapeared to?
It was a bit to weird for moi.
Also, I didn't get Clare's initial flee from Dorran. I get she didn't quite remember the crash but jumping right to kidnapping? She was obviously hurt through cuts and gashes that he bandaged- where does that scream kidnapping?
Also, I'd get her wanting to leave if she remember her aunt...but why was she that paranoid of the guy that she had to leave that instant-in a snow storm-while shes injured and wo provisions-and no exit plan with her car crashed? At that point it was a little scrary being with a stranger- but not life threatening right? Instead of planning she just willy nilly ran open arms into a death sentence.
Anyways, its on KU so if your looking for a creepy horror with a bit or burgeoning romance and mystery- give it a try.
December 29, 2023
4,5 stars
"You said you´d let me win as many arguments as I wanted if we got back to the house."
"Of course I did. Evidently, I should not make promises in dire situations."
This is a one POV book, told by the POV of Clare in third person.
I liked Clare and I liked how resourceful she was. Although she went from being paranoid to trusting a little bit too quick for me. I liked how calm and collected she almost always was. Darren is still a bit of a mystery to me and for half the book I tried to figure out if he was really human or something else. I mean he lives in this huge ass mansion in the middle of the woods that has ballrooms and dining halls and whatnot. I loved their chemisty and when he called her "my darling" it was just the cutest. He always tried to think rational and I loved how he took care of Clare.
There are not really any side characters in this, so I can´t judge the book on that, as it is more a apocalyptic survivor vibe.
For all the gamers on here, I´d say this is a mix of The Last of Us/Resident Evil and Until Dawn vibes. Probably comes closest to Until Dawn, because there is added romance and not that many fight scenes.
If you go in expecting a thriller book I think you might be disappointed because the romance takes up quite a big chunk. I went in expecting a romance with added thriller and fantasy elements and that way I really liked this book. The stakes always seem pretty high and there is an eerie feeling to the book that, in my opinion, also comes close to crime elements. I loved the dystopian/apocalyptic setting of it and the whole "being alone and not really knowing what is going on" part. When I say the romance takes up a big part, I meant the blooming romance between them. There are no smut scenes or spicy scenes in this book; "just" some kissing. The tension was there, it always made me want to keep reading to find out what was happening. The pacing was good, it didn´t feel to quick or too slow.
Overall it was a pretty good book, and I am excited to see what the second book has in store.
As there might be slight spoilers in the trigger warnings:
trigger warnings:
"You said you´d let me win as many arguments as I wanted if we got back to the house."
"Of course I did. Evidently, I should not make promises in dire situations."
This is a one POV book, told by the POV of Clare in third person.
I liked Clare and I liked how resourceful she was. Although she went from being paranoid to trusting a little bit too quick for me. I liked how calm and collected she almost always was. Darren is still a bit of a mystery to me and for half the book I tried to figure out if he was really human or something else. I mean he lives in this huge ass mansion in the middle of the woods that has ballrooms and dining halls and whatnot. I loved their chemisty and when he called her "my darling" it was just the cutest. He always tried to think rational and I loved how he took care of Clare.
There are not really any side characters in this, so I can´t judge the book on that, as it is more a apocalyptic survivor vibe.
For all the gamers on here, I´d say this is a mix of The Last of Us/Resident Evil and Until Dawn vibes. Probably comes closest to Until Dawn, because there is added romance and not that many fight scenes.
If you go in expecting a thriller book I think you might be disappointed because the romance takes up quite a big chunk. I went in expecting a romance with added thriller and fantasy elements and that way I really liked this book. The stakes always seem pretty high and there is an eerie feeling to the book that, in my opinion, also comes close to crime elements. I loved the dystopian/apocalyptic setting of it and the whole "being alone and not really knowing what is going on" part. When I say the romance takes up a big part, I meant the blooming romance between them. There are no smut scenes or spicy scenes in this book; "just" some kissing. The tension was there, it always made me want to keep reading to find out what was happening. The pacing was good, it didn´t feel to quick or too slow.
Overall it was a pretty good book, and I am excited to see what the second book has in store.
As there might be slight spoilers in the trigger warnings:
trigger warnings:
May 21, 2025
4.5 stars for my enjoyment! I was definitely sucked in and had all the suspense creepy vibes. AND ROMANCE! Yay
‼️I’m gonna try to give no spoilers but there might be some mild ones so avoid if you want to go in completely blind.
‼️This took some turns where I was like WTF
At first I was like… hmmmm what is going on. Then I was like shit… ok.
Then I was like WTF.
♥️Dorran - has my whole heart I love this man omg he is perfection.
I’m so Protective of him! I love him! No one better say shit to me about him. 😍He is so swoon. He will do anything to protect Clare.
♥️He saves her ♥️ protects her and takes cares for her. Like literally washes her hair and cooks her food.
His vulnerability for her is heartbreaking and so endearing at the same time.
‼️Clare- she’s ok so far. I like her but also was side eying 👀 some of her choices. We will see how she develops but also in these situations how should someone act? 🤷🏼♀️maybe I would do the same.
😅Suspense
🧌Horror
👻Creepy
❄️Apocalypse/ extreme winter weather
♥️Sweet Romance
POV 3rd person FMC POV
This book had me crying at the end omg
🧌The hallow ones- damn what are these things? Like Zonbies but also advanced. Crazy!
😍My darling Clare😍 yes please I’ll take it all Dorran he’s so amazing.
Safe so far!
No history given at all
But I am wondering if maybe Dorran is very INEXPERIENCED 🥰 based on his past history maybe even a V… dare I hope lol
No sex yet
For Clare we get zero talks about her past at all.
She definitely a not a V.
♥️This couple is solid by the end of this book. And gah I love Dorran so much! He can do NO WRONG in my book.
‼️I’m gonna try to give no spoilers but there might be some mild ones so avoid if you want to go in completely blind.
‼️This took some turns where I was like WTF
At first I was like… hmmmm what is going on. Then I was like shit… ok.
Then I was like WTF.
♥️Dorran - has my whole heart I love this man omg he is perfection.
I’m so Protective of him! I love him! No one better say shit to me about him. 😍He is so swoon. He will do anything to protect Clare.
♥️He saves her ♥️ protects her and takes cares for her. Like literally washes her hair and cooks her food.
His vulnerability for her is heartbreaking and so endearing at the same time.
‼️Clare- she’s ok so far. I like her but also was side eying 👀 some of her choices. We will see how she develops but also in these situations how should someone act? 🤷🏼♀️maybe I would do the same.
😅Suspense
🧌Horror
👻Creepy
❄️Apocalypse/ extreme winter weather
♥️Sweet Romance
POV 3rd person FMC POV
This book had me crying at the end omg
🧌The hallow ones- damn what are these things? Like Zonbies but also advanced. Crazy!
😍My darling Clare😍 yes please I’ll take it all Dorran he’s so amazing.
Safe so far!
No history given at all
But I am wondering if maybe Dorran is very INEXPERIENCED 🥰 based on his past history maybe even a V… dare I hope lol
No sex yet
For Clare we get zero talks about her past at all.
She definitely a not a V.
♥️This couple is solid by the end of this book. And gah I love Dorran so much! He can do NO WRONG in my book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2020
Slow slow slow.
November 5, 2025
3/5 stars ⭐️💫
Overall, I was pretty mixed on this book. I enjoyed the campy gothic setup at first, but I don’t think I was quite the target audience in the end. Some of the creature work was really well done, and I appreciated what the author was trying to achieve as a whole.
That said, the love story didn’t work for me—it takes up around 70% of the book and felt more like watching a teen drama than a gothic fantasy. I found myself wanting more of the world-building and atmosphere instead of dealing with the very flat characters
The pacing was another struggle. The first half moves very slowly, and the added family drama later on made it feel even more drawn out. I had a hard time connecting with the main character, and by the time the plot started to pick up, I was already a bit disengaged.
Still, I think the core idea of the story was interesting and had a lot of potential. I just wish the execution had been a little tighter and more focused on the aspects that worked best. I was reminded of both Lights Out (2016) and the TV Show/ webtoon, Sweet Home. Not sure if I will continue reading this series or not.
❄️📻
Overall, I was pretty mixed on this book. I enjoyed the campy gothic setup at first, but I don’t think I was quite the target audience in the end. Some of the creature work was really well done, and I appreciated what the author was trying to achieve as a whole.
That said, the love story didn’t work for me—it takes up around 70% of the book and felt more like watching a teen drama than a gothic fantasy. I found myself wanting more of the world-building and atmosphere instead of dealing with the very flat characters
The pacing was another struggle. The first half moves very slowly, and the added family drama later on made it feel even more drawn out. I had a hard time connecting with the main character, and by the time the plot started to pick up, I was already a bit disengaged.
Still, I think the core idea of the story was interesting and had a lot of potential. I just wish the execution had been a little tighter and more focused on the aspects that worked best. I was reminded of both Lights Out (2016) and the TV Show/ webtoon, Sweet Home. Not sure if I will continue reading this series or not.
❄️📻
November 12, 2024
There has to be someone else out there. We survived. We can’t be the only ones. Please, please, let us not be the only ones.
4.5 🌟 rounded down
I don't think I've ever read a Darcy Coates book that didn't instantly hook me. This one was no different.
The prologue immediately set the tone for the book and sent shivers down my spine. Though it's a little on the slower side, the feeling of dread and foreboding hangs heavy in the air. You know something is very, very wrong. Yet, you can't quite decipher what it is.
Clare and Dorran's chemistry was insane and I loved them together. Their relationship made the slower parts of the book enjoyable. The imagery was very well depicted. Those creatures are things straight out of a nightmare. I saw what exactly what I was reading, and that made me extremely uncomfortable... I loved every minute of it.
When the action begins, it is non-stop right until the end. Like many of the characters in horror and thriller novels. I had to release the breath I didn't know I was holding. #iykyk
Overall, this book was a claustrophobic, atmospheric, apocalyptic survival horror that hooked me from the very first page. Yes, some scenes felt a little repetitive, but it wasn't as overwhelming as other books I've read. I am now obsessed with this series and can't wait to dive into the second book.
4.5 🌟 rounded down
I don't think I've ever read a Darcy Coates book that didn't instantly hook me. This one was no different.
The prologue immediately set the tone for the book and sent shivers down my spine. Though it's a little on the slower side, the feeling of dread and foreboding hangs heavy in the air. You know something is very, very wrong. Yet, you can't quite decipher what it is.
Clare and Dorran's chemistry was insane and I loved them together. Their relationship made the slower parts of the book enjoyable. The imagery was very well depicted. Those creatures are things straight out of a nightmare. I saw what exactly what I was reading, and that made me extremely uncomfortable... I loved every minute of it.
When the action begins, it is non-stop right until the end. Like many of the characters in horror and thriller novels. I had to release the breath I didn't know I was holding. #iykyk
Overall, this book was a claustrophobic, atmospheric, apocalyptic survival horror that hooked me from the very first page. Yes, some scenes felt a little repetitive, but it wasn't as overwhelming as other books I've read. I am now obsessed with this series and can't wait to dive into the second book.
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