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It Looks Like Us
From the author of To Break a Covenant comes an edge-of-your-seat read that will leave your heart pounding.
One week ago, Riley Kowalski joined a team of four other teens for an internship on climate change research in the Antarctic, sponsored by one of the world's largest tech companies. It was just the opportunity she had been searching for—an escape from the ridicule she'd received after a panic attack at school, a fresh start.
But their small team isn't alone in the remote, frozen reaches of the polar south.
In the eerie haze of evening sunlight, Riley sees something out of the corner of her eye—something that's watching them. She writes it off as the effects of her anxiety, but when their expedition leader begins to change—her limbs elongating, her body contorting—and grow violent, Riley knows the danger she feels is real. Something is stalking them, infecting them, and slowly infiltrating the team.
There is more to this research trip than any of them bargained for, and if they aren't careful, none of them will make it out alive.
One week ago, Riley Kowalski joined a team of four other teens for an internship on climate change research in the Antarctic, sponsored by one of the world's largest tech companies. It was just the opportunity she had been searching for—an escape from the ridicule she'd received after a panic attack at school, a fresh start.
But their small team isn't alone in the remote, frozen reaches of the polar south.
In the eerie haze of evening sunlight, Riley sees something out of the corner of her eye—something that's watching them. She writes it off as the effects of her anxiety, but when their expedition leader begins to change—her limbs elongating, her body contorting—and grow violent, Riley knows the danger she feels is real. Something is stalking them, infecting them, and slowly infiltrating the team.
There is more to this research trip than any of them bargained for, and if they aren't careful, none of them will make it out alive.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 13, 2022
59 people are currently reading
8641 people want to read
About the author
Alison Ames
5 books152 followersAlison Ames is the author of horror novels for adults and teens. To Break a Covenant, her first novel, was nominated for a Colorado Book Award. Her second novel It Looks Like Us is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection pick. You can find more information and other books on her website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 271 reviews
October 11, 2022
the real horror was the capitalist systems we engaged with along the way!
that and the dashed expectations. and the gore, also. real horror show top to bottom, i guess.
as is my right as a young woman who dates men, i've watched 80s cult classic flick The Thing in my time, and this was a real knockoff! you're telling me we have a ragtag group of pals doing vague Science in the frozen tundra and suddenly a shape-shifting pile of blood and grossness is on the scene, scaring the sh*t out of everybody and generally ruining a good time?
like...i think i've seen this film before. (and i didn't like the ending.)
i liked (read: loved) the author's debut for the story it built AROUND the horror - the romance, the friendships, the banter - and there was none of that here, sadly. only horror. horror all the way down.
although the story did start immediately, which you have to respect. and a real gift for gore here!
and the villain is a tech billionaire dipsh*t named (checks notes) anton rusk, which is...the best thing i have ever heard in my life.
you take the wins with the losses.
bottom line: not exactly for me! but apparently not everything can be? sounds fake but ok.
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currently-reading updates
a YA horror book about a group of teens on a trip to antarctica sponsored by a tech company owned by the rich dudebro "Anton Rusk"...
this is everything and i'm on page 8.
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tbr review
all an author has to do is write one (1) five star book, and i am following them everywhere for life. à la stalking
that and the dashed expectations. and the gore, also. real horror show top to bottom, i guess.
as is my right as a young woman who dates men, i've watched 80s cult classic flick The Thing in my time, and this was a real knockoff! you're telling me we have a ragtag group of pals doing vague Science in the frozen tundra and suddenly a shape-shifting pile of blood and grossness is on the scene, scaring the sh*t out of everybody and generally ruining a good time?
like...i think i've seen this film before. (and i didn't like the ending.)
i liked (read: loved) the author's debut for the story it built AROUND the horror - the romance, the friendships, the banter - and there was none of that here, sadly. only horror. horror all the way down.
although the story did start immediately, which you have to respect. and a real gift for gore here!
and the villain is a tech billionaire dipsh*t named (checks notes) anton rusk, which is...the best thing i have ever heard in my life.
you take the wins with the losses.
bottom line: not exactly for me! but apparently not everything can be? sounds fake but ok.
---------------
currently-reading updates
a YA horror book about a group of teens on a trip to antarctica sponsored by a tech company owned by the rich dudebro "Anton Rusk"...
this is everything and i'm on page 8.
---------------
tbr review
all an author has to do is write one (1) five star book, and i am following them everywhere for life. à la stalking
August 24, 2022
Stopped reading at 20%
The Thing meets the X-Files!
I love the Thing and I’m absolutely obsessed with the X-Files, so I knew this was one book that I had to read. The cover draws you in like you're gasping for air after being dunked under water.
The parts that I read were okay but it wasn’t holding my attention. I guessed early on how the people were chosen for this program and it sucks when you're right. There is a part of me that just wants to read the end because I think I know how it ends. I've watched so many horror movies and read so many books that this is going to have that typical horror ending where it'll make you second guess if it's really over.
I think this is going to be a really great book but it’s just not for me right now. It’s one that I’ll have to come back to.
The Thing meets the X-Files!
I love the Thing and I’m absolutely obsessed with the X-Files, so I knew this was one book that I had to read. The cover draws you in like you're gasping for air after being dunked under water.
The parts that I read were okay but it wasn’t holding my attention. I guessed early on how the people were chosen for this program and it sucks when you're right. There is a part of me that just wants to read the end because I think I know how it ends. I've watched so many horror movies and read so many books that this is going to have that typical horror ending where it'll make you second guess if it's really over.
I think this is going to be a really great book but it’s just not for me right now. It’s one that I’ll have to come back to.
October 25, 2022
Wow, this totally had me gripped. So many twists I couldn't predict. I stayed up late as I just had to keep reading to see how the story played out. Loved the main characters and the character development. The ending was absolutely WILD and I loved every moment of it. Such a short but fascinating read.
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway. All statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway. All statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
July 11, 2023
Polar horror is by nature already pretty freaky - desolate landscapes where the weather and land is already trying to kill you. I love it, and this story channels the vibes perfectly.
It Looks Like Us quickly ratchets up the terror, adding sinister billionaires, the off-season when many stations aren't manned, and Something Out There vibes. It first presents a tiny team of teenagers who have applied for a research trip to Antarctica to be grunt work laborers collecting ice samples. It quickly becomes apparent that each of them are vulnerable mentally from something in their past, and thus solid scapegoats for anything going wrong. Because it does, and quite quickly.
Riley's obvious trauma and anxiety ratchet up the creeping dread feeling even before things go wrong. I love the kind of story that opens with a current timeline, and intersperses that with what happened. The tension was delicious. The billionaire character is markedly similar to a, ahem, nefarious real-life person who would absolutely undertake the shady, literally monstrous project going on in this story. I think this plausibility of the plot makes it all the more terrifying.
But what I was really struck by in this book were the emotional threads running through such a terrifying, grimdark plot. These kids who don't even know each other go to great lengths to protect and save one another, even when it's clear they're infected and doomed. Riley saving the lab rat was especially touching.
A definite 80s horror flick-inspired feel, and surprising emotional investment, made me really enjoy this.
It Looks Like Us quickly ratchets up the terror, adding sinister billionaires, the off-season when many stations aren't manned, and Something Out There vibes. It first presents a tiny team of teenagers who have applied for a research trip to Antarctica to be grunt work laborers collecting ice samples. It quickly becomes apparent that each of them are vulnerable mentally from something in their past, and thus solid scapegoats for anything going wrong. Because it does, and quite quickly.
Riley's obvious trauma and anxiety ratchet up the creeping dread feeling even before things go wrong. I love the kind of story that opens with a current timeline, and intersperses that with what happened. The tension was delicious. The billionaire character is markedly similar to a, ahem, nefarious real-life person who would absolutely undertake the shady, literally monstrous project going on in this story. I think this plausibility of the plot makes it all the more terrifying.
But what I was really struck by in this book were the emotional threads running through such a terrifying, grimdark plot. These kids who don't even know each other go to great lengths to protect and save one another, even when it's clear they're infected and doomed. Riley saving the lab rat was especially touching.
A definite 80s horror flick-inspired feel, and surprising emotional investment, made me really enjoy this.
September 29, 2022
A fast paced YA horror story that is a derivative of The Thing, which made it very predictable. The prose was sometimes a bit clunky which took away from the overall feeling of terror and dread. There was a lot more that could have been done with the ending as well.
January 19, 2023
poorly paced, poorly plotted (so this thinly veiled elon musk-alike was evil for? what reason?), and ultimately not at all scary (and i say this as one of the most easily frightened readers like. ever). odd, considering how much i liked ames' first book.
Rep: ace mc, gay character
CWs: gore, injury description
Rep: ace mc, gay character
CWs: gore, injury description
August 3, 2022
4.5 stars.
I received an ARC through work.
I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did -- it was so good!
An eerie isolated setting, claustrophobic atmosphere, horrific body horror, fun characters... I just had a really great time, and also regretted my poor decision to stay up late reading last night as it took me a loooong time to fall asleep.
I am not ok.
If you’re looking for a fun, easy-to-read scary story then this is the book for you!
Side note: I'm all for body horror but the body contortion nightmares this book and Stranger Things S04 have inflicted on my psyche are not cool...
I received an ARC through work.
I was not expecting to love this book as much as I did -- it was so good!
An eerie isolated setting, claustrophobic atmosphere, horrific body horror, fun characters... I just had a really great time, and also regretted my poor decision to stay up late reading last night as it took me a loooong time to fall asleep.
I am not ok.
If you’re looking for a fun, easy-to-read scary story then this is the book for you!
Side note: I'm all for body horror but the body contortion nightmares this book and Stranger Things S04 have inflicted on my psyche are not cool...
February 14, 2023
How did you make your redo of The Thing (1982) so boring I need to know
September 11, 2022
3.5 Stars!
It Looks Like Us is an enjoyable and fast paced Y.A. horror. I really liked the ensemble of characters, they were quite tropey and shallow but I really think it worked in this type of story.
It Looks Like Us is an enjoyable and fast paced Y.A. horror. I really liked the ensemble of characters, they were quite tropey and shallow but I really think it worked in this type of story.
September 18, 2022
Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours and Inkyard Press for a physical arc in exchange for an honest review and promotion. All opinions are my own.
Hmm this was weird. Didn't like the ending. The way the MC's asexuality came up was weird to me.
It Looks Like Us is a YA thriller that follows teenage Riley Kowalski who is spending her winter break doing research in Antarctica. Riley doesn’t know what to think of the five other students and the chaperones of the trip. But then she sees one of the chaperones disintegrate in front of her. Something is not right and if she or the other kids are careful, they could be infiltrated next.
My favorite thing about this book was the writing and the depiction of anxiety. I loved the atmosphere of this book so much. It was so well done and really brought all the eerie feelings. My anxiety doesn’t manifest as intense as Riley’s, but many aspects were so similar. I really enjoyed Riley’s character and getting to know the other characters.
This book is very casually queer. I knew there was ace and gay rep going into this. Though I do wish we had known how these characters ID’ed earlier on. If you enjoy thrillers, I’d definitely recommend you to pick this one up!
Hmm this was weird. Didn't like the ending. The way the MC's asexuality came up was weird to me.
It Looks Like Us is a YA thriller that follows teenage Riley Kowalski who is spending her winter break doing research in Antarctica. Riley doesn’t know what to think of the five other students and the chaperones of the trip. But then she sees one of the chaperones disintegrate in front of her. Something is not right and if she or the other kids are careful, they could be infiltrated next.
My favorite thing about this book was the writing and the depiction of anxiety. I loved the atmosphere of this book so much. It was so well done and really brought all the eerie feelings. My anxiety doesn’t manifest as intense as Riley’s, but many aspects were so similar. I really enjoyed Riley’s character and getting to know the other characters.
This book is very casually queer. I knew there was ace and gay rep going into this. Though I do wish we had known how these characters ID’ed earlier on. If you enjoy thrillers, I’d definitely recommend you to pick this one up!
October 7, 2022
So this was if like Elon Musk made you pay to participate in his weird research trip so you go but then you end up in John Carpenter’s The Thing and have to fight for your life.
I found the second half a lot more interesting and enjoyable especially after the monster started appearing. I wasn’t really feeling it for the first half and I wasn’t really invested in the characters either. I mean there is a German girl named Elsa… with a braid… and there is a Frozen reference… And that kind of… took me out from it a bit. But yeah, I do love the monster concept, I really do. I think this would make an awesome show/movie. Like I can imagine how creepy that would look. Overall, took a while to pick up so four stars it is.
I found the second half a lot more interesting and enjoyable especially after the monster started appearing. I wasn’t really feeling it for the first half and I wasn’t really invested in the characters either. I mean there is a German girl named Elsa… with a braid… and there is a Frozen reference… And that kind of… took me out from it a bit. But yeah, I do love the monster concept, I really do. I think this would make an awesome show/movie. Like I can imagine how creepy that would look. Overall, took a while to pick up so four stars it is.
April 5, 2022
Eerie, unsettling, and absolutely captivating, It Looks Like Us hooked me on the first page and never let me go. Ames has crafted a chilling eco horror novel that will keep you reading late into the night, engrossed by its shape-shifting horrors.
September 27, 2022
There needs to be more YA horror. The gap between Goosebumps and Steven King is just too great.
It Looks Like Us contributes nicely to the genre, with its gruesome body horror and diverse group of teenagers put up for the slaughter in what is essentially a slasher.
In saying that, I found myself really struggling to get through the book.
I’m a massive fan of The Thing, which this book borrows from so heavily that it borders between derivative and plagiarism. Which might be the reason I found the book hard to read. When nothing surprises you in a horror (especially a slasher), there’s not much to engage with.
I am really, really glad this book exists. And when recommending young people horror books to read that aren’t King, it’ll top my list. It just wasn’t for me.
(It does have an amazing cover though).
It Looks Like Us contributes nicely to the genre, with its gruesome body horror and diverse group of teenagers put up for the slaughter in what is essentially a slasher.
In saying that, I found myself really struggling to get through the book.
I’m a massive fan of The Thing, which this book borrows from so heavily that it borders between derivative and plagiarism. Which might be the reason I found the book hard to read. When nothing surprises you in a horror (especially a slasher), there’s not much to engage with.
I am really, really glad this book exists. And when recommending young people horror books to read that aren’t King, it’ll top my list. It just wasn’t for me.
(It does have an amazing cover though).
September 11, 2022
I received an ARC from Edelweiss
TW: body horror, mentioned suicidal ideation, panic/anxiety attacks, mentioned substance addiction, mentioned 3rd degree burn, mentioned knife violence, seizure
4
If you're a fan of The Thing, body horror, and lines like "it's fire, you stupid motherfucker" delivered before attempting to kill a monster, you're going to have fun!
The descriptions in this are great! The monstrous body horror aspect is done really well, the way the scenes are very freaky, and I can't see a horror fan being let down by that part of it at all. The danger is real, the tension is there and ramped up quickly, and there is no way not to be on the side of these teenagers about to be taken down by a shape shifting monster.
And going off of the well done tension- the pacing is really great throughout. This is a fast paced book that doesn't suffer at all from coming out of the gate running. It makes it a quick read, and it also makes it that much easier to get and stay invested.
There are also moments of really well done tension within, too, pockets of creepiness and dread that keep things from flying home too fast.
I did also appreciate the diversity, though I understand the criticism that things felt more or less offhanded or tossed in. The sexuality reveals, in particular, straddled that line but still felt organic to me. It's nice to see variety in a cast, even when it doesn't particularly matter.
I will say, with a title like this I was expecting the shape shifting to be a bigger obstacle, but after the beginning it isn't really used much as a plot device. So I was a little disappointed to have that "who can you trust" moment never really happen.
There were also too many pop culture references. Most of them felt unnecessary and wound up slowing things down and making it clunky.
And while I liked the characters in general they too felt forced at times. There was no real reason for most of their reveals, and while it's interesting to hear an origin story I'd still like it to make sense why they're suddenly sharing, beyond it being something that happens in these kinds of books. I also thought the bond at the end felt very forced and unlikely.
Over all, a fun, fast horror! I think a lot of people will have a great time reading this, especially in the spookier months or the dead of winter!
TW: body horror, mentioned suicidal ideation, panic/anxiety attacks, mentioned substance addiction, mentioned 3rd degree burn, mentioned knife violence, seizure
4
If you're a fan of The Thing, body horror, and lines like "it's fire, you stupid motherfucker" delivered before attempting to kill a monster, you're going to have fun!
The descriptions in this are great! The monstrous body horror aspect is done really well, the way the scenes are very freaky, and I can't see a horror fan being let down by that part of it at all. The danger is real, the tension is there and ramped up quickly, and there is no way not to be on the side of these teenagers about to be taken down by a shape shifting monster.
And going off of the well done tension- the pacing is really great throughout. This is a fast paced book that doesn't suffer at all from coming out of the gate running. It makes it a quick read, and it also makes it that much easier to get and stay invested.
There are also moments of really well done tension within, too, pockets of creepiness and dread that keep things from flying home too fast.
I did also appreciate the diversity, though I understand the criticism that things felt more or less offhanded or tossed in. The sexuality reveals, in particular, straddled that line but still felt organic to me. It's nice to see variety in a cast, even when it doesn't particularly matter.
I will say, with a title like this I was expecting the shape shifting to be a bigger obstacle, but after the beginning it isn't really used much as a plot device. So I was a little disappointed to have that "who can you trust" moment never really happen.
There were also too many pop culture references. Most of them felt unnecessary and wound up slowing things down and making it clunky.
And while I liked the characters in general they too felt forced at times. There was no real reason for most of their reveals, and while it's interesting to hear an origin story I'd still like it to make sense why they're suddenly sharing, beyond it being something that happens in these kinds of books. I also thought the bond at the end felt very forced and unlikely.
Over all, a fun, fast horror! I think a lot of people will have a great time reading this, especially in the spookier months or the dead of winter!
December 31, 2022
IT LOOKS LIKE US is a superb YA Supernatural Horror/Thriller set in Glorious Antarctica, and I totally devoured it. If you've enjoyed John Carpenter's The Thing and/or read the original story, John W. Campbell's "Who Goes There?", you'll readily identify the trope: shapeshifters on the Last Continent. Only instead of a team of dedicated, single-minded, scientists plus military and/or corporate security, this is a small experimental group of high-schoolers on Winter Break, performing (untrained) unscientific sampling of ice cores, at the behest of a Billionaire tech baron very closely resembling a certain real-life example. [Extremely closely resembling, which makes for frequent chuckles and head-shaking.] The author is really good at exemplifying the young folks' characters, especially protagonist Riley. You just know "it'll all go tremendously wrong!," but still you can't help cheering these youngsters on. Quite subtly terrifying, actually, rendered more so because Riley's diagnosed anxiety disorder panic attacks can create hallucinations: are these events real, or aggravating brain glitches?
I particularly enjoyed the author's in-depth understanding of Riley's psychological issues; I expect she is quite possibly neurodivergent, and she is so extensively delineated I felt for the duration like I lived inside her skin. Another exciting aspect is the unraveling of the reasons behind this make-work Antarctic expedition [all that expenditure! Where's the Science?] and the way the author utilizes it to draw out carefully the character (or lack of) of the funding Billionaire financing the expedition. So realistic, so despicable! The type of villain whose nefarious schemes always prevail.
I'm definitely adding IT LOOKS LIKE US to the Reread shelf and holding my breath in anticipation of more from author Alison Ames!
I particularly enjoyed the author's in-depth understanding of Riley's psychological issues; I expect she is quite possibly neurodivergent, and she is so extensively delineated I felt for the duration like I lived inside her skin. Another exciting aspect is the unraveling of the reasons behind this make-work Antarctic expedition [all that expenditure! Where's the Science?] and the way the author utilizes it to draw out carefully the character (or lack of) of the funding Billionaire financing the expedition. So realistic, so despicable! The type of villain whose nefarious schemes always prevail.
I'm definitely adding IT LOOKS LIKE US to the Reread shelf and holding my breath in anticipation of more from author Alison Ames!
September 17, 2022
I received this book from TBR Beyond Tours/Publisher in exchange of an honest review.
5 reasons why you should read the book:
1. The monster. That one was just horrifically scary. I mean, it already started out creepy as hell. With the feeling of being watched. Seeing something slither under the ice. Seeing something in the ice or snow stare at you. But then it is inside… and you don’t know because It Looks Like Us. The monster was an absolute horror-fest and the author did a freaking amazing job on writing it. I was terrified each time we got to see the monster, and that is a lot because hello stuck on freaking Antarctica and with a megalomaniac rich dude controlling things… good luck outrunning it. It knows. I was just constantly going NOPE and fuck that and OH FUCKITY FUCK. I mean, bones re-arranging themselves? Big gaping maws? Blood or something that looks like that everywhere? It being able to talk with the voices of those eaten? And more… because I don’t want to give everything away. It was just NOPE.
2. The whole vibe of you are stuck and it is fighting for survival all the way. Which I also had with a book named 172 Hours on the Moon. It makes everything much more claustrophobic. And just like with the moon book, you just cannot go outside in a jiffy. You have to prepare. If there is a storm or your oxygen levels are low? You will die. Whereas if you just were on a sunny (or maybe not so sunny) island you can still have some choices. Here? Have fun and good luck.
3. The characters. While we follow Riley as the MC, we do learn more about the other characters along the way and I really liked them. Luke was so sweet and I love how kind he was, he knew how to help Riley when her panic attacks came up, he made sure she was fine. Next up are Dae and Nelson. Lastly Ilse. Yes, Ilse took a bit of a time to get used to. She is a bit crabby and snaps a bit too much for my liking, but later in the book I really liked her. I loved that we got to know each character and that I was rooting for them. I have to also say that while I loved getting to know the characters… it also made things so much harder. Because this is a horror book. A no-escape-everything-is-going-to-fucking-hell book.
4. How fast-paced it was. For reals. The first 30% just flew by and I was oh so worried that the book would just suddenly peter out. And while it did eddy/eddie in some parts (especially later), for most it was just GO GO GOGOOOOOOOOOOO. You just couldn’t take a break. Breaks were NOT accepting by this book. You just had to go go go and run!! Run!
5 The now and then. We get to read how Riley got out. How Riley was saved. In the now parts we see her interviewed and while I hated those cops. I loved the little danger nuggets that the author put in that just made me squee and eeeeeeek, and I couldn’t wait to see how it would turn out. And then the then, in which we read about how the teens got to Antarctica, see them collect samples… see them run and survive and blood and gore go everywhere.
I know it is just 5 reasons, but I have to add a 6th and a 7th one: The gore was well-written. I am normally not a big gore lover these days, though I am sure me from years ago would have absolutely been delighted by this one, haha. Bones clicking and reforming. Deadly blood dripping. Offal here and there. Some other fun bits. Rot in arms. Oh yes, baby. I have to say that I felt less disgusted? I noticed the same with another horror book, so maybe my stomach is steeling itself again? Renewing the levels of how much he can handle?
And then there is 7: the adorable rat we got to see a few times and then especially later. It was just the absolute cutest thing ever. I just love rodents. I should say though, non-talking ones. And thankfully, this isn’t a fantasy so it was just a normal adorable rat.
Oh, and 8. THAT FUCKING ENDING.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
5 reasons why you should read the book:
1. The monster. That one was just horrifically scary. I mean, it already started out creepy as hell. With the feeling of being watched. Seeing something slither under the ice. Seeing something in the ice or snow stare at you. But then it is inside… and you don’t know because It Looks Like Us. The monster was an absolute horror-fest and the author did a freaking amazing job on writing it. I was terrified each time we got to see the monster, and that is a lot because hello stuck on freaking Antarctica and with a megalomaniac rich dude controlling things… good luck outrunning it. It knows. I was just constantly going NOPE and fuck that and OH FUCKITY FUCK. I mean, bones re-arranging themselves? Big gaping maws? Blood or something that looks like that everywhere? It being able to talk with the voices of those eaten? And more… because I don’t want to give everything away. It was just NOPE.
2. The whole vibe of you are stuck and it is fighting for survival all the way. Which I also had with a book named 172 Hours on the Moon. It makes everything much more claustrophobic. And just like with the moon book, you just cannot go outside in a jiffy. You have to prepare. If there is a storm or your oxygen levels are low? You will die. Whereas if you just were on a sunny (or maybe not so sunny) island you can still have some choices. Here? Have fun and good luck.
3. The characters. While we follow Riley as the MC, we do learn more about the other characters along the way and I really liked them. Luke was so sweet and I love how kind he was, he knew how to help Riley when her panic attacks came up, he made sure she was fine. Next up are Dae and Nelson. Lastly Ilse. Yes, Ilse took a bit of a time to get used to. She is a bit crabby and snaps a bit too much for my liking, but later in the book I really liked her. I loved that we got to know each character and that I was rooting for them. I have to also say that while I loved getting to know the characters… it also made things so much harder. Because this is a horror book. A no-escape-everything-is-going-to-fucking-hell book.
4. How fast-paced it was. For reals. The first 30% just flew by and I was oh so worried that the book would just suddenly peter out. And while it did eddy/eddie in some parts (especially later), for most it was just GO GO GOGOOOOOOOOOOO. You just couldn’t take a break. Breaks were NOT accepting by this book. You just had to go go go and run!! Run!
5 The now and then. We get to read how Riley got out. How Riley was saved. In the now parts we see her interviewed and while I hated those cops. I loved the little danger nuggets that the author put in that just made me squee and eeeeeeek, and I couldn’t wait to see how it would turn out. And then the then, in which we read about how the teens got to Antarctica, see them collect samples… see them run and survive and blood and gore go everywhere.
I know it is just 5 reasons, but I have to add a 6th and a 7th one: The gore was well-written. I am normally not a big gore lover these days, though I am sure me from years ago would have absolutely been delighted by this one, haha. Bones clicking and reforming. Deadly blood dripping. Offal here and there. Some other fun bits. Rot in arms. Oh yes, baby. I have to say that I felt less disgusted? I noticed the same with another horror book, so maybe my stomach is steeling itself again? Renewing the levels of how much he can handle?
And then there is 7: the adorable rat we got to see a few times and then especially later. It was just the absolute cutest thing ever. I just love rodents. I should say though, non-talking ones. And thankfully, this isn’t a fantasy so it was just a normal adorable rat.
Oh, and 8. THAT FUCKING ENDING.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
September 11, 2023
I knew this was inspired by The Thing but it is essentially a carbon copy?? except with teenagers and a cartoonishly evil tech billionaire clearly meant to be Elon Musk. and worse plotting.
a couple good scenes of body horror but …… do not recommend
a couple good scenes of body horror but …… do not recommend
September 1, 2023
The writing? Bad. Characters? Bad. Plot? Bad, and possibly a rip off of The Thing? And is Anton Rusk actually Elon Musk? Hmmm…
September 16, 2022
It Looks Like Us is Alison Ames’ sophomore novel and after absolutely loving her debut, To Break a Covenant, I was so excited to get my hands on this, and it did not disappoint! The book follows Riley who decides to apply to a research project in Antarctica funded by one of the world’s most prominent tech billionaires when she sees an ad for the trip on Instagram, thinking this will be a good fresh start for her after her life is turned upside-down by her frequent panic attacks. With only a handful of other teen volunteers, a chaperone who looks like she wishes she could be anywhere but there, and an older scientist, Riley begins her plastic pollution survey, but things don’t feel quite right, and the other volunteers keep seeing something out of the corner of their eye, watching them. When Greta starts acting strangely and tries to attack Riley, things go from bad to worse, and they can’t even count on each other in the middle of the snowy tundra.
I feel like I’m not going to say anything new about Alison Ames’ writing that I haven’t already said in my review of her debut novel – she is just such a brilliantly consistent writer who knows her craft and can create some of the most horrifying storylines I’ve ever read. What I can say is that once I started this book, I stayed up until 2am reading it – I couldn’t put it down without finishing it because, that late at night, if I hadn’t I’d have questions and I’d be thinking about it for hours and not get to sleep!
Ames is truly excellent at world building. She did it excellently in the polar opposite To Break a Covenant where I could feel the oppressive summer heat and see the hazy horizons, and she did it again in her portrayal of Antarctica. There really is something so terrifying about being in the middle of a vast, snowy expanse that looks identical everywhere you look and is subject to sudden harsh weather. Plus, when there’s no-one around to literally hear you scream, it’s made all the worse! The isolation of the characters in this book was almost scarier than the actual monster, and that’s saying something!
Having a supernatural monster terrorising the characters was strangely refreshing in this book, when so many of the horror novels I’ve read recently, it’s been humans that were the bad guy all along (although there really is nothing good about a billionaire). I am always a little sceptical when it comes to these kinds of monsters, though, as I never picture them as scary as the author intends them to be, but I can assure you, there is no mis-reading how horrifying this monster is. Aside from the goriness and limbs going all the wrong way, it’s truly unnerving that it takes the shape of people you know and trust – nothing is safe for Riley.
My only reason to drop a star in my rating is really a personal thing, and may not be something that other readers are put off by. Much like her debut novel, It Looks Like Us has a bit of an open ending, and that’s not my thing! I have zero imagination and I need to be spoon-fed the plot! Especially when there is such an explosive ending that could lead to much worse things – I need to know!!!! But that being said, this was such a thrilling and horrifying read that is perfect for this time of year, and I’m eagerly awaiting Alison Ames’ next novel!
Thanks to TBR & Beyond Tours, Page Street Kids and Netgalley for an eARC in return for an honest review!
I feel like I’m not going to say anything new about Alison Ames’ writing that I haven’t already said in my review of her debut novel – she is just such a brilliantly consistent writer who knows her craft and can create some of the most horrifying storylines I’ve ever read. What I can say is that once I started this book, I stayed up until 2am reading it – I couldn’t put it down without finishing it because, that late at night, if I hadn’t I’d have questions and I’d be thinking about it for hours and not get to sleep!
Ames is truly excellent at world building. She did it excellently in the polar opposite To Break a Covenant where I could feel the oppressive summer heat and see the hazy horizons, and she did it again in her portrayal of Antarctica. There really is something so terrifying about being in the middle of a vast, snowy expanse that looks identical everywhere you look and is subject to sudden harsh weather. Plus, when there’s no-one around to literally hear you scream, it’s made all the worse! The isolation of the characters in this book was almost scarier than the actual monster, and that’s saying something!
Having a supernatural monster terrorising the characters was strangely refreshing in this book, when so many of the horror novels I’ve read recently, it’s been humans that were the bad guy all along (although there really is nothing good about a billionaire). I am always a little sceptical when it comes to these kinds of monsters, though, as I never picture them as scary as the author intends them to be, but I can assure you, there is no mis-reading how horrifying this monster is. Aside from the goriness and limbs going all the wrong way, it’s truly unnerving that it takes the shape of people you know and trust – nothing is safe for Riley.
My only reason to drop a star in my rating is really a personal thing, and may not be something that other readers are put off by. Much like her debut novel, It Looks Like Us has a bit of an open ending, and that’s not my thing! I have zero imagination and I need to be spoon-fed the plot! Especially when there is such an explosive ending that could lead to much worse things – I need to know!!!! But that being said, this was such a thrilling and horrifying read that is perfect for this time of year, and I’m eagerly awaiting Alison Ames’ next novel!
Thanks to TBR & Beyond Tours, Page Street Kids and Netgalley for an eARC in return for an honest review!
September 7, 2023
this antagonist was ripped directly from the most forgettable episode of scooby doo and u cant tell me otherwise dude
March 19, 2023
Trigger warnings: mental health, panic attacks, death, death of a friend, fire, body horror, gore, toxic billionaire asshats??, vomit, mentions of suicidal thoughts, mentions of drug use, alcohol abuse.
3.75 stars.
The premise of this was so much fun - group of mismatched teens get sent on an expedition to Antarctica by a billionaire who's DEFINITELY not Elon Musk, a creepy beastie shows up and weird shit starts happening - and for the most part, I really enjoyed it. There was plenty of tension, it reminded me a lot of The Thing, and it was a good creepy time. I did find that elements of the story - Dae, for instance - were a little more dragged out than necessary, and I would have liked for Riley's asexuality to be more than a throwaway line.
The ending absolutely smashed it out of the park, but I also kind of wanted to see more of the aftermath? I mean, I get why we didn't see it. I really do. But I just hate techboy billionaires so much that I would have loved to see him get his comeuppances. You know?
3.75 stars.
The premise of this was so much fun - group of mismatched teens get sent on an expedition to Antarctica by a billionaire who's DEFINITELY not Elon Musk, a creepy beastie shows up and weird shit starts happening - and for the most part, I really enjoyed it. There was plenty of tension, it reminded me a lot of The Thing, and it was a good creepy time. I did find that elements of the story - Dae, for instance - were a little more dragged out than necessary, and I would have liked for Riley's asexuality to be more than a throwaway line.
The ending absolutely smashed it out of the park, but I also kind of wanted to see more of the aftermath? I mean, I get why we didn't see it. I really do. But I just hate techboy billionaires so much that I would have loved to see him get his comeuppances. You know?
December 30, 2022
Holy hell in a handbasket what a book. So like, here's the Thing (haha, get it?) you know how this is going to end. From the moment you read the first sentence you know this book is going to end in tragedy and I tried really, really hard to not become attached to the characters and that's the beauty of it. She's created these beautiful, sad characters that make me want to absolutely weep over and she does it in a little over 100 pages. So yeah, you know this story isn't going to end well from the moment you pick this book up, by then you're already swept up in the story and there's no getting out.
April 29, 2023
I think i am going to puke 🤢 the gore 🫣
July 12, 2022
* Minor spoilers *
I really wanted to like this one. The prose and descriptions were absolutely phenomenal - totally freaky, visceral, and great! Honestly, the style of writing during tense scenes was the absolute highlight of the book for me. Despite this, It Looks Like Us overall left me wanting more, but not necessarily in a good way.
The setting is interesting but is pretty much immediately devalued by the contrived nature of WHY a bunch of teenagers are in Antarctica in the first place. The later 'explanation' of this only serves to worsen this plot element, and is indicative of how a lot of aspects are handled in the overarching story.
Unfortunately, I couldn't connect to the characters. Many of them had simple 'bullet point' personalities (as in, one defining trait with little to no deviance from said trait) alongside a fun fact that separated them from the others. The most egregious example of this is the main villain, essentially just a greedy adult with no stand-out motivations or depth. His role in the story is comical, but not in an it's-so-bad-it's-good type of way. His presence introduced a jarring tonal shift from the fast-paced and tense plot, essentially shattering my immersion. I guess this is to be expected considering he's just a stand-in for Elon Musk, but this fact only hinders the plot more rather than elevates it in any capacity. Any resulting attempts at social commentary (see: corporate greed and climate change) fall flat and tend to be extremely simplified and almost offhanded, despite it being the 'fun fact' of one of the main characters.
As I was reaching the final act of the story, I found myself desperately wanting to 'justify' the time spent reading this book despite not particularly caring for the problems of the main cast of characters. The ending was primarily character-driven, and seeing as I failed to connect with said characters, the ambiguous nature of the final few chapters left me frustrated. I'm not entirely sure if the end was sequel-bait or just vague on purpose, but it came off as rushed either way.
Final Rating: 2/5
TLDR: Prose and writing style are awesome! The concept of the plot is good, but its execution was lacking in some critical areas. The characters (walmart Elon Musk cough cough) were shallow and came across as juvenile despite the underlying 'graphic' horror of the overall plot,
I really wanted to like this one. The prose and descriptions were absolutely phenomenal - totally freaky, visceral, and great! Honestly, the style of writing during tense scenes was the absolute highlight of the book for me. Despite this, It Looks Like Us overall left me wanting more, but not necessarily in a good way.
The setting is interesting but is pretty much immediately devalued by the contrived nature of WHY a bunch of teenagers are in Antarctica in the first place. The later 'explanation' of this only serves to worsen this plot element, and is indicative of how a lot of aspects are handled in the overarching story.
Unfortunately, I couldn't connect to the characters. Many of them had simple 'bullet point' personalities (as in, one defining trait with little to no deviance from said trait) alongside a fun fact that separated them from the others. The most egregious example of this is the main villain, essentially just a greedy adult with no stand-out motivations or depth. His role in the story is comical, but not in an it's-so-bad-it's-good type of way. His presence introduced a jarring tonal shift from the fast-paced and tense plot, essentially shattering my immersion. I guess this is to be expected considering he's just a stand-in for Elon Musk, but this fact only hinders the plot more rather than elevates it in any capacity. Any resulting attempts at social commentary (see: corporate greed and climate change) fall flat and tend to be extremely simplified and almost offhanded, despite it being the 'fun fact' of one of the main characters.
As I was reaching the final act of the story, I found myself desperately wanting to 'justify' the time spent reading this book despite not particularly caring for the problems of the main cast of characters. The ending was primarily character-driven, and seeing as I failed to connect with said characters, the ambiguous nature of the final few chapters left me frustrated. I'm not entirely sure if the end was sequel-bait or just vague on purpose, but it came off as rushed either way.
Final Rating: 2/5
TLDR: Prose and writing style are awesome! The concept of the plot is good, but its execution was lacking in some critical areas. The characters (walmart Elon Musk cough cough) were shallow and came across as juvenile despite the underlying 'graphic' horror of the overall plot,
May 15, 2022
This book made me so glad I wasn't sleeping alone after I finished it late at night! As someone who normally reads light horror, this book had me turning pages so fast and still thinking about the ending.
In the first few pages, the reader finds out that teenage Riley is the sole survivor of the disaster at Victoria station in the Artic. Something stalked them through the ice for several days before it struck, taking them down one by one. Then the story flashes back to Riley and four other teens arriving at the station to take ice samples with a scientist, Greta, and a chaperone, Asha, as part of a teen outreach program run by a tech billionaire. Through Riley's eyes, the readers see and feel the building horror, as all their attempts to escape the monster are foiled.
The teenage friendships the characters form in only a few days add depth to the book. Riley, normally a loner who's prone to panic attacks, bonds with everyone and wants so badly to save them all. There's Ilse, a tough Swedish girl who's prepared for almost anything; Dae, the Korean computer genius; Nelson, the wealthy playboy, who's out in the Artic as an adventure after his last round of rehab; and, finally, Luke, who's lost someone close to him, but his kind heart is drawn to Riley, and he looks out for her for as long as he can. The characters really make the book sparkle and provide a balance to the horror of the monster stalking them all.
Thank you to the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
In the first few pages, the reader finds out that teenage Riley is the sole survivor of the disaster at Victoria station in the Artic. Something stalked them through the ice for several days before it struck, taking them down one by one. Then the story flashes back to Riley and four other teens arriving at the station to take ice samples with a scientist, Greta, and a chaperone, Asha, as part of a teen outreach program run by a tech billionaire. Through Riley's eyes, the readers see and feel the building horror, as all their attempts to escape the monster are foiled.
The teenage friendships the characters form in only a few days add depth to the book. Riley, normally a loner who's prone to panic attacks, bonds with everyone and wants so badly to save them all. There's Ilse, a tough Swedish girl who's prepared for almost anything; Dae, the Korean computer genius; Nelson, the wealthy playboy, who's out in the Artic as an adventure after his last round of rehab; and, finally, Luke, who's lost someone close to him, but his kind heart is drawn to Riley, and he looks out for her for as long as he can. The characters really make the book sparkle and provide a balance to the horror of the monster stalking them all.
Thank you to the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 29, 2023
This book was a little too gory for me at times- but nothing enough to ruin the whole story. It gets started right away, and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time(as someone who has not watched the horror movie upon which this book is based). I couldn’t put it down. Further, this book is well written and describes mental illness in a way that is intentional and real, and I appreciate the author’s attention to this detail. There was a twist with around 5 pages left that had me audibly gasp. I absolutely recommend but be warned- IT IS SO CREEPY! I’ll be recommending this to anyone who will listen.
October 9, 2024
CW: blood, gore, violence, body horror, medical content, death, fire, gaslighting
Actual rating: 3.75 stars
So like, sure, is it just The Thing for teens? Yeah, absolutely. But the body horror is excellently done, I really liked the characters, and much of the cast is queer. And I thought the panic disorder was written fantastically.
Was going to be 3.5 but then they threw in a Great Mouse Detective reference and I had to bump it up.
Actual rating: 3.75 stars
So like, sure, is it just The Thing for teens? Yeah, absolutely. But the body horror is excellently done, I really liked the characters, and much of the cast is queer. And I thought the panic disorder was written fantastically.
Was going to be 3.5 but then they threw in a Great Mouse Detective reference and I had to bump it up.
November 30, 2022
I didn't like this book!!! I couldn't visualize anything and it was weird and boring and such a let down.
I need to learn that sometimes it's okay to give up on books.
Read the full review on my blog!
I need to learn that sometimes it's okay to give up on books.
Read the full review on my blog!
February 24, 2023
took a star off for the elon musk character being named anton rusk
September 5, 2025
The 52 Book Club Challenge : Title is a spoiler
I let this percolate over the weekend before sitting down to review it, and I actually think I'm upping this to 4.5 stars. It just worked for me, it was vividly visual and really fucking scary and it would make a hell of a movie, which are some of the best compliments I can give a horror book.
I'll start by saying that this book was exactly what I had been hoping for when I read Whiteout: a horror thriller where the main character is being hunted through Antarctica by a supernatural monster. The teenagers, while a bit underdeveloped in terms of character depth, were easy to root for, smart and reasonably genre-aware, and their conflicts with each other never devolved into anything even remotely approaching teen drama. I LOVED that the main girl and boy,
One of the areas this fell down for me was what I'll term the "fantasy Antarctica" of it all. One thing I will say for Whiteout is that it acknowledged the lethality of the continent over and over again, the years of training it requires to go there and survive. This book did not do that. It treated a trip to Antarctica like a trip to Siberia or Scandinavia-- places with extreme weather in the wintertime, but which are survivable by normal humans without extensive training. The only upside being, where Whiteout set itself up for failure by repeatedly calling attention to Antarctica's dangers and then having its heroine defy them well beyond the suspension of disbelief, here it's mentioned infrequently. The number of times they went out in the cold and snow, however, and the speed with which they recovered from those trips, was wildly unrealistic.
The other thing I will say didn't work so well was the framing of the plot. I'm not sure whence came the current trend in literature to be obsessed with billionaires and bring them into plots (especially as romance novel protagonists, like whaaaaaaaaaaat even) but if you're going to use a billionaire as your villain, you do not need to name him ANTON RUSK. Unless you're directly satirizing stuff Elon has actually done, it just takes the reader out of the world of the story. Also, the whole setup of these kids being invited to Antarctica under the guise of some internship strains credulity-- Dae at least would have looked into it, its legitimacy, like if a billionaire did anything like that you'd imagine they'd use it as a photo op / philanthropy credit, so it being semi-secret, IDK. The whole thing just felt like Ames wasn't quite sure how to get her protagonists to Antarctica and so glossed over the details of it.
I venture to say that both of these issues could have been solved quite neatly by simply setting this entire story on another fictional planet. Sci-fi horror is becoming a genre in its own right, and when you're creating your own ice planet you get to make the rules-- just look at Mickey7. Then you can also find any number of reasons for a bunch of teens to be on this science expedition (when most of them aren't even particularly interested in science!)-- mandatory education field study, part of community or military service, etc.
But as with all my reviews, I critique books hardest when I really fucking enjoyed them. This book was SO much fun, it scared the hell out of me, and I will absolutely read more from Ames in the future.
I let this percolate over the weekend before sitting down to review it, and I actually think I'm upping this to 4.5 stars. It just worked for me, it was vividly visual and really fucking scary and it would make a hell of a movie, which are some of the best compliments I can give a horror book.
I'll start by saying that this book was exactly what I had been hoping for when I read Whiteout: a horror thriller where the main character is being hunted through Antarctica by a supernatural monster. The teenagers, while a bit underdeveloped in terms of character depth, were easy to root for, smart and reasonably genre-aware, and their conflicts with each other never devolved into anything even remotely approaching teen drama. I LOVED that the main girl and boy,
One of the areas this fell down for me was what I'll term the "fantasy Antarctica" of it all. One thing I will say for Whiteout is that it acknowledged the lethality of the continent over and over again, the years of training it requires to go there and survive. This book did not do that. It treated a trip to Antarctica like a trip to Siberia or Scandinavia-- places with extreme weather in the wintertime, but which are survivable by normal humans without extensive training. The only upside being, where Whiteout set itself up for failure by repeatedly calling attention to Antarctica's dangers and then having its heroine defy them well beyond the suspension of disbelief, here it's mentioned infrequently. The number of times they went out in the cold and snow, however, and the speed with which they recovered from those trips, was wildly unrealistic.
The other thing I will say didn't work so well was the framing of the plot. I'm not sure whence came the current trend in literature to be obsessed with billionaires and bring them into plots (especially as romance novel protagonists, like whaaaaaaaaaaat even) but if you're going to use a billionaire as your villain, you do not need to name him ANTON RUSK. Unless you're directly satirizing stuff Elon has actually done, it just takes the reader out of the world of the story. Also, the whole setup of these kids being invited to Antarctica under the guise of some internship strains credulity-- Dae at least would have looked into it, its legitimacy, like if a billionaire did anything like that you'd imagine they'd use it as a photo op / philanthropy credit, so it being semi-secret, IDK. The whole thing just felt like Ames wasn't quite sure how to get her protagonists to Antarctica and so glossed over the details of it.
I venture to say that both of these issues could have been solved quite neatly by simply setting this entire story on another fictional planet. Sci-fi horror is becoming a genre in its own right, and when you're creating your own ice planet you get to make the rules-- just look at Mickey7. Then you can also find any number of reasons for a bunch of teens to be on this science expedition (when most of them aren't even particularly interested in science!)-- mandatory education field study, part of community or military service, etc.
But as with all my reviews, I critique books hardest when I really fucking enjoyed them. This book was SO much fun, it scared the hell out of me, and I will absolutely read more from Ames in the future.
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