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Hold Back the Tide
Everyone knows what happened to Alva's mother, all those years ago. But when dark forces begin to stir in Ormscaula, Alva has to face a very different future - and question everything she thought she knew about her past...
218 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 5, 2020
96 people are currently reading
10478 people want to read
About the author
Melinda Salisbury
23 books1,367 followersMelinda Salisbury lives by the sea, somewhere in the south of England. As a child she genuinely thought Roald Dahl’s Matilda was her biography, in part helped by her grandfather often mistakenly calling her Matilda, and the local library having a pretty cavalier attitude to the books she borrowed. Sadly she never manifested telekinetic powers. She likes to travel, and have adventures. She also likes medieval castles, non-medieval aquariums, Richard III, and all things Scandinavian The Sin Eater's Daughter is her first novel. She can be found on Twitter at @MESalisbury, though be warned, she tweets often.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 681 reviews
April 13, 2020
Wilder Girls meets The Female of the Species in my first 4 star read of the year.
Why not 5 stars? It lacked gays.
Why not 5 stars? It lacked gays.
November 9, 2021
I did not expect that punch to the heart!
Alva has lived in the same town by the loch her entire life. She lives with her father, the man she believes murdered her mother, she lives in fear that she is next.
She has been planning her escape for years, and soon her dreams will become reality.
When she and her best friend Ren start to notice the water level in the loch going down, they immediately know something is wrong.
When animals are killed and then humans start going missing, the locals know something evil is among them.
This turned into a horror that I wasn’t expecting but absolutely devoured! Both the monsters in the loch and the monsters in the village. Like the mill owner, whose greed is what caused the water level to sink and whose unhealthy obsession with Alva’s mother is completely fucked up.
A lot of story in only 300 pages. A great read - I will say the ending was heartbreaking, but it made sense in the parameters of the story so I can’t complain!
Alva has lived in the same town by the loch her entire life. She lives with her father, the man she believes murdered her mother, she lives in fear that she is next.
She has been planning her escape for years, and soon her dreams will become reality.
When she and her best friend Ren start to notice the water level in the loch going down, they immediately know something is wrong.
When animals are killed and then humans start going missing, the locals know something evil is among them.
This turned into a horror that I wasn’t expecting but absolutely devoured! Both the monsters in the loch and the monsters in the village. Like the mill owner, whose greed is what caused the water level to sink and whose unhealthy obsession with Alva’s mother is completely fucked up.
A lot of story in only 300 pages. A great read - I will say the ending was heartbreaking, but it made sense in the parameters of the story so I can’t complain!
August 29, 2024
“Here are the rules of living with a murderer. One: Do not draw attention to yourself.”This was such an interesting book, and I have no doubt it’s going to stay with me for a while. There’s a tangled mess of loneliness, melancholia, and a bloodthirsty sort of hopefulness stretched across Hold Back the Tide, emanating not just from the atmosphere, but from the characters, too. (Alva, the heroine and daughter of a murderer, especially.) When I cast my mind back over the hundreds of pages I’ve just finished, I don’t think about any single scene, but how the book as a whole made me feel. It’s easily one the best young adult horrors I’ve ever read, and I challenge you to read the first few paragraphs and not leave intrigued and desperate for more.
It’s not afraid to be horrifying, morbid, and tragic. There’s no magic bullet here, and there’s certainly no plot armour; Hold Back the Tide has actual stakes, and Salisbury makes it obvious from the outset that not everyone is going to make it out of this adventure alive. She’s also purposefully and proudly rejected some of the more deep-rooted restraints and cliches of the genre, and as a result, she’s created a painfully beautiful and unique piece of work. Overall, I’d say it’s very The Coldest Girl in Coldtown meets The Wicked Deep (two books I worship endlessly and passionately), and like those books, it’s gleeful delighted to have an ending that will leave its readers screaming and frothing at the mouth.
Truly a darkly delicious treat, I can’t recommend it enough for anyone who’s looking for a fast-paced, sweat-inducing take on one of the more worn-out monsters, vampires. If you’re going to read this, it’s going to grab you by the throat and refuse to let you go until the soul-crushing end, and it’ll leave you broken and sorrowful in a way all readers know is sublime.
“It was the truth. All this time, it was the truth.”
February 15, 2021
CW:
Well now that I have regained my composure I can write a review.
I don't think the following section is too much of a spoiler but I will hide it anyway because I went in blind and that served me well. I think it is best to resist if you have any intention of reading this YA mystery horror book. Welcome to the book version of that particular nightmare. No it doesn't have big jump scares, but the atmosphere and pacing had the hairs on my arms standing up. The story starts out pretty calmly as we get to know about Alva and her difficult life. What a cracker opening line too, “Here are the rules of living with a murderer." As mentioned in the blurb, dark forces begin to stir in the township where Alva and her father are outcasts.
Sorry, I think I have to stop here. I want to type so much more but I can't because the story just unfolds in such a beautifully menacing way and I think it is better to go in blind. Argh! I should say that it isn't too scary. I was just so invested in Alva that everything felt much more frightening if you know what I mean. Probably an unhelpful review, but I gotta say I enjoyed every gorgeous horrific moment of this book, even when it broke me in two.
It also says this is the third in a series. From the blurb of the other 2 books I can't make any connection to this novel. It was completely readable as a stand alone.
Well now that I have regained my composure I can write a review.
I don't think the following section is too much of a spoiler but I will hide it anyway because I went in blind and that served me well. I think it is best to resist if you have any intention of reading this YA mystery horror book. Welcome to the book version of that particular nightmare. No it doesn't have big jump scares, but the atmosphere and pacing had the hairs on my arms standing up. The story starts out pretty calmly as we get to know about Alva and her difficult life. What a cracker opening line too, “Here are the rules of living with a murderer." As mentioned in the blurb, dark forces begin to stir in the township where Alva and her father are outcasts.
Sorry, I think I have to stop here. I want to type so much more but I can't because the story just unfolds in such a beautifully menacing way and I think it is better to go in blind. Argh! I should say that it isn't too scary. I was just so invested in Alva that everything felt much more frightening if you know what I mean. Probably an unhelpful review, but I gotta say I enjoyed every gorgeous horrific moment of this book, even when it broke me in two.
It also says this is the third in a series. From the blurb of the other 2 books I can't make any connection to this novel. It was completely readable as a stand alone.
March 18, 2020
I was loving everything in this book and then... the last chapter happened. I didn't expect that ending and I hated it.
March 14, 2020
Okay hi, I’m not ok? You need to read this book. Ok ok I’m calm.
Hold Back the Tide is Melinda Salisbury’s newest book, released last week. When I read the first chapter I knew it was about a girl who lived with a murderer. What I did not expect was everything that followed.
Alva Douglas is planning to escape Ormscaula and the murderer she lives with, her father. But as she tries to leave, strange things start happening: screams in the night, shadows at the window, and girls going missing. And the water in the Loch has fallen the lowest it’s ever been.
Hold Back the Tide is an incredibly intense novel — Salisbury knows how to craft an atmosphere and really excels herself in this book. I’ve not been so thrilled and frightened by a book since The Call by Paedar O’Guillan. I raced through this over the weekend and bawled my eyes out in the bath.
Think Scottish Highlands meets environmental collapse blended with a little Richard Matheson. If you’re a Salisbury fan already, it reminded me of early sections of The Sleeping Prince. It is an angry, ferocious little book, filled with monsters of every kind.
All in all I think this is Salisbury’s best book yet and deserves to be read.
Hold Back the Tide is Melinda Salisbury’s newest book, released last week. When I read the first chapter I knew it was about a girl who lived with a murderer. What I did not expect was everything that followed.
Alva Douglas is planning to escape Ormscaula and the murderer she lives with, her father. But as she tries to leave, strange things start happening: screams in the night, shadows at the window, and girls going missing. And the water in the Loch has fallen the lowest it’s ever been.
Hold Back the Tide is an incredibly intense novel — Salisbury knows how to craft an atmosphere and really excels herself in this book. I’ve not been so thrilled and frightened by a book since The Call by Paedar O’Guillan. I raced through this over the weekend and bawled my eyes out in the bath.
Think Scottish Highlands meets environmental collapse blended with a little Richard Matheson. If you’re a Salisbury fan already, it reminded me of early sections of The Sleeping Prince. It is an angry, ferocious little book, filled with monsters of every kind.
All in all I think this is Salisbury’s best book yet and deserves to be read.
November 16, 2021
4.0 Stars
This was a unique piece of YA horror. I feel like it's a spoiler to identify why this is classified as horror, but I personally really enjoyed that element. Loved the Scottish setting.
This was a unique piece of YA horror. I feel like it's a spoiler to identify why this is classified as horror, but I personally really enjoyed that element. Loved the Scottish setting.
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September 8, 2019First impressions: holy moly this is book cover goals. Who designed this? Thank you for creating this. My eyes are blessed!
May 30, 2020
I have mixed feelings about this book. I went into it expecting to have a rather tense atmosphere with Alva living with her Da that murdered her Mam except that's not what I got at all.
In my opinion Da was not portrayed in anyway as someone who had potentially murdered his own wife or would harm his child.
So the first 100 pages of Alva preparing to run away was very slow, and I wasnt engaged with her as a character and i couldnt tell where this book was going.
Then the plot twist happens half way through the book and I thought 'ok so now this is a horror book?' Except I still didnt get any atmosphere from the book to give it that horror vibe.
I found it to be very predictable in what would happen, and characters I just couldnt engage with properly (though Giles is a douche).
I will say the last chapter of the book was well done and was emotional to read, however, I kind of expected it and because of the lack of engagement with the character it didnt impact me as much as it could have.
There are certain scenes in this book that have the potential to be scary and brutal but due to the lack of atmosphere it just fell short.
Though I did enjoy the Scottish element to the book and the rather apt depiction of a close knit town that's opposed to outsiders or people who dont fit their ideal.
2 stars
In my opinion Da was not portrayed in anyway as someone who had potentially murdered his own wife or would harm his child.
So the first 100 pages of Alva preparing to run away was very slow, and I wasnt engaged with her as a character and i couldnt tell where this book was going.
Then the plot twist happens half way through the book and I thought 'ok so now this is a horror book?' Except I still didnt get any atmosphere from the book to give it that horror vibe.
I found it to be very predictable in what would happen, and characters I just couldnt engage with properly (though Giles is a douche).
I will say the last chapter of the book was well done and was emotional to read, however, I kind of expected it and because of the lack of engagement with the character it didnt impact me as much as it could have.
There are certain scenes in this book that have the potential to be scary and brutal but due to the lack of atmosphere it just fell short.
Though I did enjoy the Scottish element to the book and the rather apt depiction of a close knit town that's opposed to outsiders or people who dont fit their ideal.
2 stars
January 26, 2021
'It was the truth. All this time, it was the truth.'
Look, I'm not gonna pull any punches: this book messed me up in all the right ways. I came thinking it was just another random YA read but, directly from the start, it grabbed me and didn't let go until the end.
It is NOT a simple book—it is horror written masterfully with unexpected plot twists that kept me riveted.
I had guesses that something truly monstrous was afoot a few chapters in but I did not expect the sheer level of in-love-with-how-terrifying-this-story-is type of book it would be. Like my bf accurately described it when I tried summing up the events midway this really reminds me of Stranger Things in all the best ways. It's so good that I really don't want to say much to give things away . . . and yet I feel that, given my ignorance of what REALLY happened in here based on reading the blurb, it should be said that this is a horror story.
Still totally want it as a movie though plz and thank you.
'This isn't fair.'
And it's true: a more accurate description of this book's ending could not have been given. It's not fair but it is realistic. It's not fair but it is a decisive, enthralling end to a surprisingly AMAZING tale. So, if you do not mind the odd horrific story now and then, do yourself a favor and read this . . . if only for the Scottish vibes.
Look, I'm not gonna pull any punches: this book messed me up in all the right ways. I came thinking it was just another random YA read but, directly from the start, it grabbed me and didn't let go until the end.
It is NOT a simple book—it is horror written masterfully with unexpected plot twists that kept me riveted.
I had guesses that something truly monstrous was afoot a few chapters in but I did not expect the sheer level of in-love-with-how-terrifying-this-story-is type of book it would be. Like my bf accurately described it when I tried summing up the events midway this really reminds me of Stranger Things in all the best ways. It's so good that I really don't want to say much to give things away . . . and yet I feel that, given my ignorance of what REALLY happened in here based on reading the blurb, it should be said that this is a horror story.
Still totally want it as a movie though plz and thank you.
'This isn't fair.'
And it's true: a more accurate description of this book's ending could not have been given. It's not fair but it is realistic. It's not fair but it is a decisive, enthralling end to a surprisingly AMAZING tale. So, if you do not mind the odd horrific story now and then, do yourself a favor and read this . . . if only for the Scottish vibes.
October 24, 2021
I wasn't prepared for this, it took me by surprise. And I was certainly not prepared for that ending. There was such a large amount of good storytelling in such a short amount of time. Both horrifying and heartbreaking, Hold Back the Tide is a treat.
July 11, 2020
“I would have chalked it up to folklore, or ignorance. Ancient people using monsters to explain what they couldn’t understand. Yet all the while the creatures were waiting. Biding their time.”
Hold Back the Tide was surprising in a really, really good way. this was quietly poignant, the dreams and fears of a girl, alva, spun out over village politics and monsters and lore. it’s also been a long time since i’ve been hooked by an opening line, but this one got me:
“Here are the rules of living with a murderer.
One: Do not draw attention to yourself.”
the book tells of alva, a girl in centuries-ago scotland. she lives with her father, who murdered her mother seven years earlier, on the shores of a loch that her family has guarded for generations. on the eve of her departure from ormscaula—the village that has bitterly ostracized both her and her reclusive father—alva encounters a terrifying creature (very à la the undead Freaks from Ann Aguirre's Razorland trilogy, another favourite of mine). the creatures were thought to only exist in village lore, in stories about “pagan gods” who were destroyed during a centuries-ago earthquake. instead, they’ve leaped from legend to reality, .
(for reference, i’m picturing slenderman in his birthday suit)
the prose isn’t particularly well-written for the time period. it alternates between anachronistic contractions (plus a “jesus, alva, what the hell’s going on!”) and somewhat period-appropriate vocabulary (like furze, which is an Old English word for gorse). but it’s also unexpectedly, darkly witty:
“I find her scorn comforting. There might be monsters in the world, and we might be in their lair, but Cora Reid still thinks I’m worthless. The whole world hasn’t turned completely upside down.”
i also liked alva as a narrator—she’s defiant, practical, hardworking, and beholden to no one, not her father nor the boys of the village: murren “ren" ross, rakish and the closest thing she has to a friend, and gavan stewart, son of the wealthy, cruel mill owner. she's loyal and brave but not stupid, which means she knows when to run but also when to seek out the monsters to protect her loved ones
“Alva, you’re just a girl.”
“No such thing as ‘just a girl’, Maggie,” I say.
it was so much fun to read the dynamic between ren and alva, who are brutally honest with each other, often toeing the line between flirtation and flat-out sparring. ren makes it clear that he cares about alva above all, and alva makes it clear that she cares for him, too—but will ultimately put herself, her dreams and ideas and beliefs, first. she doesn’t need his approval to make her own decisions, and his presence is peripheral to hers (something that isn’t always the case with YA love interests).
“If you end up dead because of this, I will never forgive you,” he says, looking back at me. “I mean it.”
the author also has a particular deftness for sketching out minor characters in just a few sentences, just a few strokes, ensuring that even those who should meld into the background have quirks and nuances. for example, cora reid is a village girl—one of gavan’s best friends—who scorns alva along with the others ormscaula teens, yet
CONCLUSION: though it isn't anything splashy or spectacular, this book is just unconventional enough to pique your interest—and alva’s feistiness, the authenticity of the supporting cast, the creatures’ creepy lore, and the story's surprising poignancy—which really sneaks up on you—will do the rest of the heavy lifting.
May 3, 2020
03/05/2020
This was good! This is a vampire book, since the synopsis doesn't really make that clear!
I didn't like Alva as the main character, at ALL. She keeps being scared of her father, but if she had thought about it for 2 damn seconds, she must have known that her theories about him don't add up. . I loved Ren and the other characters that stood up for her.
However, that ending made up for anything Alva did that annoyed me. That ending? damn amazing.
I recommend this book for sure!
This was good! This is a vampire book, since the synopsis doesn't really make that clear!
I didn't like Alva as the main character, at ALL. She keeps being scared of her father, but if she had thought about it for 2 damn seconds, she must have known that her theories about him don't add up. . I loved Ren and the other characters that stood up for her.
However, that ending made up for anything Alva did that annoyed me. That ending? damn amazing.
I recommend this book for sure!
December 11, 2020
This was so creepy and cool. It took about 100 pages to really take off but after that I was pretty much unputdownable. If you want something short, quick and horrifying, I would recommend this book.
April 3, 2020
4.5 stars! Oh. WOW.
August 10, 2020
The first thing one needs to know before starting this book is that it's one hell of a scary book! So if you are not into gory, horror stuff, I would advise withholding from reading it. On the other hand, Hold Back the Tide contains quite a lot of cliches from YA genre, such as special snowflakes and abs-pretty boys. But worry not, those were quite pleasant, though a little bit eye-rolling.
The plot of the book revolves around the small village (or town) Ormscaula. If I am not mistaken it's something Irish or Scottish related. There is a Loch - a lake - that has been there for centuries. A lot of dark legends surround that lake. Alva's father is a keeper of the lake, and his duty to report anything strange happening to it. And then one day the level of water in the lake drops. Something unspeakable begins to stir in Ormscaula...
Another thing to know about this book is that the less you know the better you'll be shocked by its twists. It's easier to explain in a way that when you read a book and think that you know what's going on, something different happens and you are gaping at the revelation. Such a treat!
My problem, though, not the story or cliches I encountered, not even the scary parts. I think either I became immune to horror stories or Hold Back the Tide wasn't too scary for me. That doesn't diminish the dark and rich vibe of the story, I overall wasn't very much surprised by the shocks and revelations, though I have to admit they fit perfectly into the canvas of the plot .
But then let's talk about one thing that rehabilitates every other flaw this book has for me: the ending. Holy mother of devastating, cruel, ungodly endings! This was one shock I couldn't avoid, and I might be wishing for a different outcome, but strangely - in a masochistic way - I love this one because it hurts so much. Perfect!
Overall, A nice nighttime horror story, with a couple of shocking twists. Dark and rich, you can consume it one spoon at a twist, and be free to shed tears at the end of the story. It will be worth the agony you'll feel. Recommended!
April 16, 2020
Something about Melinda Salisbury's writing style speaks to me. It's enchanting, atmospheric, it already gives stories a certain feel. So, when I saw her announcing this book I added it to the wishlist and when I discovered that this was the book in my Book Box Club, I couldn't be happier. Because, this means I get to talk to her about this book! How awesome is that?
And with this book she once again delivers. I'm gonna be honest here. For a long time I thought this was gonna be a four star read. I loved the atmosphere and the characters and of course the writing style, but it didn't have that extra spark yet. And then the last five pages came and that turned the book from an amazing read into a perfect read. The ending made the book, made the entire story, because it was so fitting, or maybe because another ending wouldn't have been working at all.
The story knows a slow start. Salisbury takes her time to build her world and she takes her time to introduce the characters. It's however far from boring. Thanks to the writing style and the dark and mysterious atmosphere the story is quite interesting from the start. From there it follows a very logical pattern towards the ending. Most of the reveals are built up and you can see them coming, although not that far in advance. I personally love and enjoy that. It gives me the feeling that the story makes sense, no matter how weird it might be.
Our heroine, Alva, is on top of that a really complicated and interesting character to read about. Her thought patterns are wonderful to read and follow and although she does takes risks at times I certainly wouldn't have taken if I were her, it made sense for her to do so. And although we miss a lot of history when it comes to her relationships with her friends, their interactions show a lot about who they are and who they can become and be.
I really can't wait to talk about this book with Salisbury in the chat in a few weeks! And I now wanna make sure I read a few of her other books I still hadn't gotten to too.
And with this book she once again delivers. I'm gonna be honest here. For a long time I thought this was gonna be a four star read. I loved the atmosphere and the characters and of course the writing style, but it didn't have that extra spark yet. And then the last five pages came and that turned the book from an amazing read into a perfect read. The ending made the book, made the entire story, because it was so fitting, or maybe because another ending wouldn't have been working at all.
The story knows a slow start. Salisbury takes her time to build her world and she takes her time to introduce the characters. It's however far from boring. Thanks to the writing style and the dark and mysterious atmosphere the story is quite interesting from the start. From there it follows a very logical pattern towards the ending. Most of the reveals are built up and you can see them coming, although not that far in advance. I personally love and enjoy that. It gives me the feeling that the story makes sense, no matter how weird it might be.
Our heroine, Alva, is on top of that a really complicated and interesting character to read about. Her thought patterns are wonderful to read and follow and although she does takes risks at times I certainly wouldn't have taken if I were her, it made sense for her to do so. And although we miss a lot of history when it comes to her relationships with her friends, their interactions show a lot about who they are and who they can become and be.
I really can't wait to talk about this book with Salisbury in the chat in a few weeks! And I now wanna make sure I read a few of her other books I still hadn't gotten to too.
Want to read
March 20, 2020I think I am obsessed with this kind of book covers! Currently reading The deep...
April 2, 2021
This book was one of the most pleasant surprises I've had in a long time! I knew so little about it (namely: eerie Scottish Highlands, literally nothing else), yet I still had the feeling this one was going to be a book that I'd enjoy. No high hopes could have prepared me for just how much I enjoyed HOLD BACK THE TIDE. The air of mystery and tension is established so early on that it is impossible not to grip the book tightly and have no choice but to read on in order to find out what both yourself and Alva, the protagonist, have gotten yourself into.
I loved Alva's voice, so bold and distinct, so fierce yet endearing. At all times I wanted to protect her from the world, yet knew she was more than capable to do so herself with no help. I loved the small world that Salisbury builds her character - the suffocating small community that she is an outsider to, the terse family dynamics that Alva and her father try to clumsily navigate, the tentative friendships and OH, THE LORD! Local legends long forgotten truly come back to life to haunt a community and it is impossible not to wait in the dark alongisde the characters, turning page after page in search for answers.
There is something very cinematic about this novel,you can truly see the story come alive right off the page, which adds to the ease with which you're bound to read it. Ultimately, this book had me gripping my chest in pain, so gutting is the ending.
I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS HIGHLY ENOUGH and can already see myself picking it back up for a reread during spooky season, when you won't see me able to stop screaming about this to anyone and everyone
I loved Alva's voice, so bold and distinct, so fierce yet endearing. At all times I wanted to protect her from the world, yet knew she was more than capable to do so herself with no help. I loved the small world that Salisbury builds her character - the suffocating small community that she is an outsider to, the terse family dynamics that Alva and her father try to clumsily navigate, the tentative friendships and OH, THE LORD! Local legends long forgotten truly come back to life to haunt a community and it is impossible not to wait in the dark alongisde the characters, turning page after page in search for answers.
There is something very cinematic about this novel,you can truly see the story come alive right off the page, which adds to the ease with which you're bound to read it. Ultimately, this book had me gripping my chest in pain, so gutting is the ending.
I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS HIGHLY ENOUGH and can already see myself picking it back up for a reread during spooky season, when you won't see me able to stop screaming about this to anyone and everyone
June 11, 2020
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Thank you Scholastic for this book in exchange for an honest review
Alright. So the first chapter is gripping as fuckk. I kid you not. The first chapter reached out and gripped my soul and I was fricken pumped to read this book. Honestly if you know a better opening chapter than let me know but until then, this one takes the cake and eats it too.
However, after the gripping first chapter I felt a little lost while I waited for the more gripping things to happen, if that makes sense. Imagine a kick off to a dramatic game and then the ball goes from one end to another without any team kicking/making a goal. SO the suspense is the kick off (opening chapter) and then there is the middle ground of play where nothing happens (most of the book) and then finally the touchdown/goal which is the last few chapters. And as powerful as the first chapter is, you need to have the remainder of the book to follow it up. Don’t let me take a bit of the world’s bloody best ice-cream and then make me sit there and watch it melt. That is NOT my idea of fun.
While the characters were intriguing and complex they were let down by their basic life of waiting for the interesting part to happen. Don’t get me wrong there were a few moments where the Dad looks like he was gonna snap and crazy but it didn’t happen? Also the world building was slow. And the plot?? Well… look… you know how everyone has that one friend that is always like three hours late to the party? Yeah well in this case the plot is your late friend who missed the party.
Overall I thought this book could have had soooo much more potential and I was super excited for this but unfortunately it didn’t hit the mark for me.
Bookstagram
Website
Thank you Scholastic for this book in exchange for an honest review
Alright. So the first chapter is gripping as fuckk. I kid you not. The first chapter reached out and gripped my soul and I was fricken pumped to read this book. Honestly if you know a better opening chapter than let me know but until then, this one takes the cake and eats it too.
However, after the gripping first chapter I felt a little lost while I waited for the more gripping things to happen, if that makes sense. Imagine a kick off to a dramatic game and then the ball goes from one end to another without any team kicking/making a goal. SO the suspense is the kick off (opening chapter) and then there is the middle ground of play where nothing happens (most of the book) and then finally the touchdown/goal which is the last few chapters. And as powerful as the first chapter is, you need to have the remainder of the book to follow it up. Don’t let me take a bit of the world’s bloody best ice-cream and then make me sit there and watch it melt. That is NOT my idea of fun.
While the characters were intriguing and complex they were let down by their basic life of waiting for the interesting part to happen. Don’t get me wrong there were a few moments where the Dad looks like he was gonna snap and crazy but it didn’t happen? Also the world building was slow. And the plot?? Well… look… you know how everyone has that one friend that is always like three hours late to the party? Yeah well in this case the plot is your late friend who missed the party.
Overall I thought this book could have had soooo much more potential and I was super excited for this but unfortunately it didn’t hit the mark for me.
June 14, 2020
Thank you so much to Scholastic Australia for sending me a copy of Hold Back the Tide, in exchange for an honest review!
Alva is living with her father, who she heard murder her mother years ago. She is living her life by a set of rules she has created, out of fear that she will end up the same way. Do not draw attention to yourself, If you can't be invisible, be useful and if you can't beat them, join them. She has made herself as useful as possible - diligently checking and recording the levels of the Loch her father is charged with taking care of, looking after the nets, cooking the food. She wants her father to have no reason to think she's expendable. At least, until she can activate her plan to run away. But as that day draws closer, Alva discovers her father might not be the most frightening thing about the Loch, and she is in a lot more danger than she ever imagined.
THIS BOOK. This book is the monster book you've been waiting for. I had absolutely no idea of the direction Hold Back the Tide was going to go and I don't think I breathed the entire time I was reading it. I admit I've felt ripped off when it's come to monster books over the last year - especially ones about those starting with a capital V. I want my monsters monstrous and front and centre in the story and FINALLY, I got it.
This book was haunting, atmospheric and downright scary. I'm always hoping for something a bit different in the YA genre, something we haven't already seen a bunch of times before, and Hold Back the Tide really delivered with its uniqueness. I would highly recommend picking this one up!
Alva is living with her father, who she heard murder her mother years ago. She is living her life by a set of rules she has created, out of fear that she will end up the same way. Do not draw attention to yourself, If you can't be invisible, be useful and if you can't beat them, join them. She has made herself as useful as possible - diligently checking and recording the levels of the Loch her father is charged with taking care of, looking after the nets, cooking the food. She wants her father to have no reason to think she's expendable. At least, until she can activate her plan to run away. But as that day draws closer, Alva discovers her father might not be the most frightening thing about the Loch, and she is in a lot more danger than she ever imagined.
THIS BOOK. This book is the monster book you've been waiting for. I had absolutely no idea of the direction Hold Back the Tide was going to go and I don't think I breathed the entire time I was reading it. I admit I've felt ripped off when it's come to monster books over the last year - especially ones about those starting with a capital V. I want my monsters monstrous and front and centre in the story and FINALLY, I got it.
This book was haunting, atmospheric and downright scary. I'm always hoping for something a bit different in the YA genre, something we haven't already seen a bunch of times before, and Hold Back the Tide really delivered with its uniqueness. I would highly recommend picking this one up!
January 7, 2021
To say I enjoyed this book would be an understatement. I could not put it down. I had to force myself to stop reading otherwise I wouldn't have slept. This is the perfect fantasy/horror standalone. It has a creepy atmosphere, monsters, an environmental message and so much more. Salisbury has written one of the best opening chapters and the plot just races on from there. The ending had me sobbing for days. If you want a well constructed YA horror (a completely underrated age group and genre pairing if you ask me) then this is it.
Read my full CAWPILE review at https://www.yourwordsmyink.com/hold-b...
Read my full CAWPILE review at https://www.yourwordsmyink.com/hold-b...
May 2, 2020
Let's start off with one thing, the blurb of this book does not tell you what the book is about. So you are essentially going into Hold Back the Tide blind. Now that's sorted - it is super hard to write this review without any spoilers, but this will be spoiler-free, but it will also be short.
Alva lives with her dad, a man she believes to be a murderer. She lives in constant fear of what he will do to her if she steps out of line and it is that fear that compels her to want to escape her small town. The narrative reflects the knife-edge she's living on and makes the reader feel very tense. That is the constant mood throughout this book, you are definitely on the edge of your seat to wait and find out what is happening.
Alva as a character herself isn't particularly compelling, it's more her role within the story that I found interesting and her relationship with other characters. This is set in a close-knit village somewhere in Scottland, in which Alva and her father have to watch over the loch and make sure it is safe. Of course, there are some complications along the way and havoc breaks loose and this book is about how Alva deals with this.
I liked the isolation of the setting and think this contributed perfectly to the horror of the story. It was a simple narrative that felt quick and exciting, basically a perfect YA book. Overall I felt completely hooked and can definitely say this is a novel to sink your teeth into.
Alva lives with her dad, a man she believes to be a murderer. She lives in constant fear of what he will do to her if she steps out of line and it is that fear that compels her to want to escape her small town. The narrative reflects the knife-edge she's living on and makes the reader feel very tense. That is the constant mood throughout this book, you are definitely on the edge of your seat to wait and find out what is happening.
Alva as a character herself isn't particularly compelling, it's more her role within the story that I found interesting and her relationship with other characters. This is set in a close-knit village somewhere in Scottland, in which Alva and her father have to watch over the loch and make sure it is safe. Of course, there are some complications along the way and havoc breaks loose and this book is about how Alva deals with this.
I liked the isolation of the setting and think this contributed perfectly to the horror of the story. It was a simple narrative that felt quick and exciting, basically a perfect YA book. Overall I felt completely hooked and can definitely say this is a novel to sink your teeth into.
April 4, 2025
ugh i love this little story so much 🫶🫶 the ending hit just as hard as the first time i read it years ago
April 28, 2021
After five consecutive reads that left me either mad or dying to feel something, a hero has finally risen. Hold Back The Tide, here's your time to shine.
I've finished this book last night, but I still can't wrap my head around it. Just thinking about it makes me want to scream incoherently for a few hours, but believe me when I say it's a good thing. As I just said, I went through several books that disappointed me a lot and I basically went into this one begging for it to be at the very least, entertaining. I had had it in my TBR for a few weeks, if I'm not mistaken, and the story did sound very interesting; plus, it was only 1$ on Kindle so... Here goes nothing, I told myself. Now I'm mad because if I had known, I would have waited and spent all my money on a physical copy, because this deserves to be displayed on my shelves like a goddamn trophy.
I realize now that I have said nothing about this book so far, so here I go. I had read The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury before this one, but it was a long, long time ago. Yet, I still remember that without adoring it, I was extremely pleased and surprised by how good it was for a YA book of that time. That's why I was rather confident going into this book, but I truly wasn't expecting it to be so STUNNING.
The first chapter is amazing, chilling, shocking, breathtaking. My attention was immediately caught, because the writing was so efficient in being mysteriously dark and oppressive. Now, I admit I was a bit confused at the beginning because I have two braincells and didn't realize that this was 1) fantasy and 2) historical. Now, for the latter I would say that the book does a good job of making the story feel timeless, in the way that it both feels old and mysterious, but also like it could happen in a little recluded community nowadays. Now, once I had realized I didn't know how to read summaries, I could start to fully enjoy the story. Things is, this book is highly addictive, I read about 50% of it in one sitting, which hadn't happened to me in a very long time. The writing style is very easy to read, but it's also poetic and sharp and bitter. I was completely mesmerized by the story, I didn't know what was going to happen and I kept on turning the pages no matter how sleepy I was and how bad my eyes burned from reading on my phone. The author did a divine job at creating a mysterious, anxiety-inducing atmosphere, I was truly sucked into the story. More than that, the descriptions of the environment were so stark and vivid I truly imagined myself walking through the lands alongside the character. Not many books manage to be so realistic and fascinating, so kuddos to that.
I feel like skimming over so many details, but I truly enjoyed all the aspects of the book: there only was one tiny part at the beginning of the second half of the book where I felt a tiny bit less hooked, but it was really minor. The main character was a badass, yet she wasn't mean or foolish, but kind and respectful too. I was so scared there would be a huge, useless romance but to my greatest surprise it was a very minor detail. It was soft and subtle, and even got me rooting for them which truly happens once in a blue moon. I just liked the general atmosphere of this book, the descriptions of the landscapes (especially the loch, it felt so mysterious and eerie with just a few, carefully-picked words) and the town. I know this might be a strange thing to notice in a such a dark book, but the descriptions of the food were probably the best I've ever seen, they got me drooling at 2 a.m. like an idiot.
NOW here comes the best thing about this book: the horror. I admit that I'm usually a wimp and get scared of the tiniest noise at night, but I'm also a huge fan of horror, especially in books. But unfortunately, it's quite rare to find horror novels, and even more truly scary ones. But believe me when I tell you, this book is TERRIFIC. Like I said, I wasn't really expecting the fantasy aspect of the story, so when IT happened, I nearly fell of my bed. The descriptions of the creatures completely took me by surprise: in the span of a few clever, terrifying details, the author managed to send shivers through my whole body and make me yelp out loud. I just can't explain it, this was masterfully done, in such a fascinating, eerie way that I truly felt like I was the character, like I had been sucked into the book and saw the monster myself. I struggled to fall asleep afterwards, but God, this truly was one of the best horror moments I have ever read in my entire existence. Lovecraft, who?!
Finally, the ending. I don't want to talk about it.
Ok, but for real this was beautifully heartbreaking. I read the last 50 pages or so insanely fast, barely breathing, and there could have been a freaking atomic bomb dropped outside my house that I wouldn't have heard a thing. It was fast and vivid, it was like going deeper and deeper into darkness without being able to stop. The last few chapters are just a series of twists and moments that will make you scream out loud like a banshee. And that's without even mentioning THE last chapter. Awful, life-destroying, world-breaking. I literally stared at the page like an idiot, tearing up, muttering like a crazy person because I just couldn't believe it. Just, what a masterpiece of an ending, and of a book in general.
So yes, you've probably understood it by now, but I truly adored this book. I just can't believe how well it merged reality and fantasy, and of course HORROR. God, I could rant for five more hours on how good the scary parts were, how hard they gripped at my guts when I was expecting it the least. This was an extremely good book, with a smart plot, amazing characters, incredible twists and a superb writing-style. I don't know what else to say, except just go pick it up if you want an original story and a good scare. I'm still in awe of it, and I'm truly thinking of still buying the physical copy just to see it on my shelves, it's just THAT good.
I've finished this book last night, but I still can't wrap my head around it. Just thinking about it makes me want to scream incoherently for a few hours, but believe me when I say it's a good thing. As I just said, I went through several books that disappointed me a lot and I basically went into this one begging for it to be at the very least, entertaining. I had had it in my TBR for a few weeks, if I'm not mistaken, and the story did sound very interesting; plus, it was only 1$ on Kindle so... Here goes nothing, I told myself. Now I'm mad because if I had known, I would have waited and spent all my money on a physical copy, because this deserves to be displayed on my shelves like a goddamn trophy.
I realize now that I have said nothing about this book so far, so here I go. I had read The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury before this one, but it was a long, long time ago. Yet, I still remember that without adoring it, I was extremely pleased and surprised by how good it was for a YA book of that time. That's why I was rather confident going into this book, but I truly wasn't expecting it to be so STUNNING.
The first chapter is amazing, chilling, shocking, breathtaking. My attention was immediately caught, because the writing was so efficient in being mysteriously dark and oppressive. Now, I admit I was a bit confused at the beginning because I have two braincells and didn't realize that this was 1) fantasy and 2) historical. Now, for the latter I would say that the book does a good job of making the story feel timeless, in the way that it both feels old and mysterious, but also like it could happen in a little recluded community nowadays. Now, once I had realized I didn't know how to read summaries, I could start to fully enjoy the story. Things is, this book is highly addictive, I read about 50% of it in one sitting, which hadn't happened to me in a very long time. The writing style is very easy to read, but it's also poetic and sharp and bitter. I was completely mesmerized by the story, I didn't know what was going to happen and I kept on turning the pages no matter how sleepy I was and how bad my eyes burned from reading on my phone. The author did a divine job at creating a mysterious, anxiety-inducing atmosphere, I was truly sucked into the story. More than that, the descriptions of the environment were so stark and vivid I truly imagined myself walking through the lands alongside the character. Not many books manage to be so realistic and fascinating, so kuddos to that.
I feel like skimming over so many details, but I truly enjoyed all the aspects of the book: there only was one tiny part at the beginning of the second half of the book where I felt a tiny bit less hooked, but it was really minor. The main character was a badass, yet she wasn't mean or foolish, but kind and respectful too. I was so scared there would be a huge, useless romance but to my greatest surprise it was a very minor detail. It was soft and subtle, and even got me rooting for them which truly happens once in a blue moon. I just liked the general atmosphere of this book, the descriptions of the landscapes (especially the loch, it felt so mysterious and eerie with just a few, carefully-picked words) and the town. I know this might be a strange thing to notice in a such a dark book, but the descriptions of the food were probably the best I've ever seen, they got me drooling at 2 a.m. like an idiot.
NOW here comes the best thing about this book: the horror. I admit that I'm usually a wimp and get scared of the tiniest noise at night, but I'm also a huge fan of horror, especially in books. But unfortunately, it's quite rare to find horror novels, and even more truly scary ones. But believe me when I tell you, this book is TERRIFIC. Like I said, I wasn't really expecting the fantasy aspect of the story, so when IT happened, I nearly fell of my bed. The descriptions of the creatures completely took me by surprise: in the span of a few clever, terrifying details, the author managed to send shivers through my whole body and make me yelp out loud. I just can't explain it, this was masterfully done, in such a fascinating, eerie way that I truly felt like I was the character, like I had been sucked into the book and saw the monster myself. I struggled to fall asleep afterwards, but God, this truly was one of the best horror moments I have ever read in my entire existence. Lovecraft, who?!
Finally, the ending. I don't want to talk about it.
Ok, but for real this was beautifully heartbreaking. I read the last 50 pages or so insanely fast, barely breathing, and there could have been a freaking atomic bomb dropped outside my house that I wouldn't have heard a thing. It was fast and vivid, it was like going deeper and deeper into darkness without being able to stop. The last few chapters are just a series of twists and moments that will make you scream out loud like a banshee. And that's without even mentioning THE last chapter. Awful, life-destroying, world-breaking. I literally stared at the page like an idiot, tearing up, muttering like a crazy person because I just couldn't believe it. Just, what a masterpiece of an ending, and of a book in general.
So yes, you've probably understood it by now, but I truly adored this book. I just can't believe how well it merged reality and fantasy, and of course HORROR. God, I could rant for five more hours on how good the scary parts were, how hard they gripped at my guts when I was expecting it the least. This was an extremely good book, with a smart plot, amazing characters, incredible twists and a superb writing-style. I don't know what else to say, except just go pick it up if you want an original story and a good scare. I'm still in awe of it, and I'm truly thinking of still buying the physical copy just to see it on my shelves, it's just THAT good.
October 14, 2021
4⭐ | Narration 😁 = Very Good | Narrated by 📣 Elle Newlands
🔦FEATURING
❐ YA Horror
❐ Cryptozoologist Aspects
❐ Scottish Lochs, Lore and Family Secrets
Take a Scottish setting, with lots of creepy “there’s a monster in the loch vibes” and add a Father who may have murdered your Mother, whose intentions always seem sort of sketchy, mix it with some teenage characters you can’t help but like and it all adds up to a pretty nifty YA-ish horror story. The author totally had me enthralled, despite not always understanding what the narrator was saying (accents always throw me), right up until the very end. I really wasn’t feeling that ending...not even a little. I’m not gonna lie...in my head, I rewrote the ending.
🅒🅐🅦🅟🅘🅛🅔 7.96/❿
🅒haracters ￫ 9
🅐tmosphere ￫ 8.5
🅦riting ￫ 8.5
🅟lot ￫ 8
🅘ntrigue ￫ 7.7
🅛ogic ￫ 7.5
🅔njoyment ￫ 6.5
🔦FEATURING
❐ YA Horror
❐ Cryptozoologist Aspects
❐ Scottish Lochs, Lore and Family Secrets
Take a Scottish setting, with lots of creepy “there’s a monster in the loch vibes” and add a Father who may have murdered your Mother, whose intentions always seem sort of sketchy, mix it with some teenage characters you can’t help but like and it all adds up to a pretty nifty YA-ish horror story. The author totally had me enthralled, despite not always understanding what the narrator was saying (accents always throw me), right up until the very end. I really wasn’t feeling that ending...not even a little. I’m not gonna lie...in my head, I rewrote the ending.
🅒🅐🅦🅟🅘🅛🅔 7.96/❿
🅒haracters ￫ 9
🅐tmosphere ￫ 8.5
🅦riting ￫ 8.5
🅟lot ￫ 8
🅘ntrigue ￫ 7.7
🅛ogic ￫ 7.5
🅔njoyment ￫ 6.5
May 2, 2020
Роман конечно обалденный! Попался только в не совсем хороший период, было совсем не до книг... Но тем не менее, дочитала, и очень понравилось. Атмосфера в романе невероятная, такая живая, жутковатая, в то же время манящая. Страшно конечно не было, но были свои моменты, когда было не по себе. Особенно конец - вот от него точно не по себе. Но и он был правильным, что тут скажешь.
В общем крайне рекомендую для тех, кто любит книжки с темной атмосферой и понятными, простыми героями.
В общем крайне рекомендую для тех, кто любит книжки с темной атмосферой и понятными, простыми героями.
July 31, 2021
This was a completely different take, and not what I expected at all!
I do have to say that I sadly guessed what was going to happen other than the ending.
It was a fun read overall and I think it might of got me out of my slump?!
I do have to say that I sadly guessed what was going to happen other than the ending.
It was a fun read overall and I think it might of got me out of my slump?!
April 6, 2024
4.75 ⭐
these are the books I live for tbh
it takes a lot for me to feel creeped out by a book but this delivered on those vibes. The writing is soooo good!! I understand how some don't like the ending I personally liked it.
Overall amazing book just wished it had a little bit more of the backstory of everything that was happening.
these are the books I live for tbh
it takes a lot for me to feel creeped out by a book but this delivered on those vibes. The writing is soooo good!! I understand how some don't like the ending I personally liked it.
Overall amazing book just wished it had a little bit more of the backstory of everything that was happening.
April 4, 2021
2.5 stars
I just didn't gel with the story, although it's not a long book, it dragged, especially midway. I'd categorise this as YA fantasy/mild horror and I just didn't enjoy the story. The characters were okay but I never bought into the main character's disbelief of her father. The creatures didn't scare me nor feel credible. I really wanted to like this one but sadly, I didn't.
I just didn't gel with the story, although it's not a long book, it dragged, especially midway. I'd categorise this as YA fantasy/mild horror and I just didn't enjoy the story. The characters were okay but I never bought into the main character's disbelief of her father. The creatures didn't scare me nor feel credible. I really wanted to like this one but sadly, I didn't.
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