What do you think?
Rate this book
Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies
In the small town of Eston, Maine . . . weird things happen sometimes.
Leo Bates knows what’s behind every corner in her hometown, where she’s lived her whole life. Some disjointed memories and grief for her late parents, sure, but nothing dangerous. Nothing unexplainable.
But the familiar becomes strange the longer you look at it. When Tate Mulder goes missing and Leo is pinned as the prime suspect, she can only watch as the town she thought she knew deteriorates around her. She is forced to confront the truth about her parents, Eston, and her relationship if she is to survive an onslaught of conspiracies, cryptic monstrosities, and whatever is hiding in the woods where Tate was last seen. Finding the girl she loves may be the only way to restore balance to Eston—if such a thing ever existed to begin with.
Leo Bates knows what’s behind every corner in her hometown, where she’s lived her whole life. Some disjointed memories and grief for her late parents, sure, but nothing dangerous. Nothing unexplainable.
But the familiar becomes strange the longer you look at it. When Tate Mulder goes missing and Leo is pinned as the prime suspect, she can only watch as the town she thought she knew deteriorates around her. She is forced to confront the truth about her parents, Eston, and her relationship if she is to survive an onslaught of conspiracies, cryptic monstrosities, and whatever is hiding in the woods where Tate was last seen. Finding the girl she loves may be the only way to restore balance to Eston—if such a thing ever existed to begin with.
196 pages, Paperback
First published October 10, 2023
10 people are currently reading
1323 people want to read
About the author
E.M. Roy
2 books24 followersE. M. Roy (she/they) is a writer and lover of all things weird, horrific, and dark, especially when those things have a social justice bend and are rooted in a queer perspective. After obtaining a B.A. in English from Boston University, their work has appeared in a handful of small publications. She currently resides near Portland, Maine with her parents, sibling, and dog, Boo. Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies is their debut novel.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
October 19, 2023
Small town horror is just *my fav* but make it sapphic and a bit cryptidy(thats a word ok, I am a professional) Just kiss me already, I really enjoyed this and it was set in Maine *points to King collection furiously*, the author does an amazing job of creating a cosy mysterious, almost Stranger Things vibe, I particularly enjoyed the urban legends themes and would of liked more exploration on this, I think the before and after format propelled the narrative forward and kept me hooked, the characters were great the the queer representation was solid, Ellie does an amazing job of balancing the unsettling creepy atmosphere of the town with the delicate coming of age love story, at the core of this horror was two characters trying to overcome adversity, I'm looking forward to seeing what Ellie writes next! (As I look over her shoulder, as she and all the other authors I've 'collected' are working at their stations in my basement, the chains arent even that tight I dunno why so many complain) thankyou to the publisher for the gifted copy!
June 21, 2024
"I think that everyone has something to hide. Not necessarily in a bad way. But sometimes things are better left unspoken."
This is a debut novel that I just couldn't put down and I was obsessed with this story. The author did a fantastic job of making the unordinary ordinary and finding that space between to keep you hooked to every word and page.
The love and deep connection between two girls that shouldn't be together (by high school standards) but make it work took my heart. I loved reading about them finding one another at the most difficult of times and just being present. Once the story unfolds, you'll find it hard to put down and you'll be thinking about this when you do.
Small-town feels and the dark cryptid connection are added bonuses to this coming of age story. It was creepy and I'll never go into the woods alone.
Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies was a phenomenal read. The coming of age story, the mystery, and the hunt all combined to make this one read I'll never forget. And one I'll find myself rereading as time goes on.
This is a debut novel that I just couldn't put down and I was obsessed with this story. The author did a fantastic job of making the unordinary ordinary and finding that space between to keep you hooked to every word and page.
The love and deep connection between two girls that shouldn't be together (by high school standards) but make it work took my heart. I loved reading about them finding one another at the most difficult of times and just being present. Once the story unfolds, you'll find it hard to put down and you'll be thinking about this when you do.
Small-town feels and the dark cryptid connection are added bonuses to this coming of age story. It was creepy and I'll never go into the woods alone.
Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies was a phenomenal read. The coming of age story, the mystery, and the hunt all combined to make this one read I'll never forget. And one I'll find myself rereading as time goes on.
October 3, 2023
LET THE WOODS KEEP OUR BODIES is the debut novel from E.M. Roy and I found it extremely addictive and hard to put down. It's this wonderful blend of Queer coming of age, small town horror, and urban legend with a dash of cryptids, liminal spaces, and slight cosmic. Leo and Tate are newly entangled in a relationship when Tate goes missing. But why? How? And what led to this disappearance?
The story is told in a BEFORE and AFTER format and E.M. Roy gives us exactly the information we need when we need it, but never too soon. It kept me so intrigued and I found myself wrapped up in this small town generational story/legend/curse and just had to know more.
The cops are of no help in the missing girl case, as expected. They blame Leo for everything and prejudge both of them due to who they are, where they're from, who they're parents are, etc. Literally no good comes from them.
But Leo and Tate are on this journey together, even though Tate is not in the AFTER sections in the same way Leo is. The characters are so well written and I could spend a lot more time in their minds and observing their conversations.
A great debut novel!
The story is told in a BEFORE and AFTER format and E.M. Roy gives us exactly the information we need when we need it, but never too soon. It kept me so intrigued and I found myself wrapped up in this small town generational story/legend/curse and just had to know more.
The cops are of no help in the missing girl case, as expected. They blame Leo for everything and prejudge both of them due to who they are, where they're from, who they're parents are, etc. Literally no good comes from them.
But Leo and Tate are on this journey together, even though Tate is not in the AFTER sections in the same way Leo is. The characters are so well written and I could spend a lot more time in their minds and observing their conversations.
A great debut novel!
April 21, 2024
Really cool to see LGBTQ+ relationships in a horror novel. Glad I read it, but not sure I enjoyed it. By the end I was reading just to finish to move on to another book. Really liked the very end.
December 26, 2023
"There's truth behind all fiction, whether you want to see it or not. And fear.. is all the proof we need."
[3.5 stars] A blend of romance, mystery, and horror, Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies is a decent book revolving around young couple Tate and Leo, and Tate's eventual disappearance. Upon the first chapter the book immediately hooked me, I thought that the main characters were well-written and not too archetypal considering they're still eccentric high school kids with a penchant for 'weird stuff.' I liked that the author uses a detective type narrative to uncover the horrors, dividing the chapters using "before" and "after" the incident.
What kind of lost me at times were the clues behind the incidents at the town in the past and how they all tie in together, that last part almost felt a little too crammed in. But the conclusion and overall atmosphere had a satisfactory pay-off, and while this seems like it's targeted toward a younger audience I think that it's overall a fun read for anyone who likes horror — this also has that slightly cozy vibe that I think would be a good choice for people who like mysteries.
Thank you BookSirens and Ghoulish Books for the review copy, I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
[3.5 stars] A blend of romance, mystery, and horror, Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies is a decent book revolving around young couple Tate and Leo, and Tate's eventual disappearance. Upon the first chapter the book immediately hooked me, I thought that the main characters were well-written and not too archetypal considering they're still eccentric high school kids with a penchant for 'weird stuff.' I liked that the author uses a detective type narrative to uncover the horrors, dividing the chapters using "before" and "after" the incident.
What kind of lost me at times were the clues behind the incidents at the town in the past and how they all tie in together, that last part almost felt a little too crammed in. But the conclusion and overall atmosphere had a satisfactory pay-off, and while this seems like it's targeted toward a younger audience I think that it's overall a fun read for anyone who likes horror — this also has that slightly cozy vibe that I think would be a good choice for people who like mysteries.
Thank you BookSirens and Ghoulish Books for the review copy, I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
November 25, 2025
3.5⭐️
This was such a great debut novel from E.M. Roy! It perfectly blended queer love, small town horror, cosmic gateways, and sprinkled in a dash of cryptids for good measure.
When Leo’s girlfriend Tate goes missing and the cops are absolutely no help (actually blame Leo for her disappearance) Leo must piece together the broken parts of her memory and delve deep into her own past/trauma to find out what happened to Tate.
Told in Before and After format, the well thought out weaving of back and forth never giving us anything too soon but with perfect timing had me turning page after page in quick succession thirsting to find out what would happen next.
The characters are so beautifully written and dynamic and I was pretty attached to them by the end and I cried the last couple of pages… bittersweet but absolutely perfect.
Would recommend this to anyone and everyone.
This was such a great debut novel from E.M. Roy! It perfectly blended queer love, small town horror, cosmic gateways, and sprinkled in a dash of cryptids for good measure.
When Leo’s girlfriend Tate goes missing and the cops are absolutely no help (actually blame Leo for her disappearance) Leo must piece together the broken parts of her memory and delve deep into her own past/trauma to find out what happened to Tate.
Told in Before and After format, the well thought out weaving of back and forth never giving us anything too soon but with perfect timing had me turning page after page in quick succession thirsting to find out what would happen next.
The characters are so beautifully written and dynamic and I was pretty attached to them by the end and I cried the last couple of pages… bittersweet but absolutely perfect.
Would recommend this to anyone and everyone.
April 20, 2024
I started this book a couple weeks ago but never really got round to actually reading it properly until yesterday! The last 100 pages I absolutely flew through, the last 50 or so had me gripped! 🍁
I really enjoyed the spooky (&queer!) vibes to this book! It was a fun read and not too long either, being only about 200 pages. 🍂
If you want a short(ish), YA, queer, horror, stranger things vibe kinda book, you’re welcome - this is it. 🎃
Can I just say, I LOVE Sebago.
Overall, I’d probably give it a 4.5 star rating (the 0.5 was because the ending I’ve decided to change - no spoilers!!) ✨
Can’t wait to see what else this author puts out!
(Thank you to booksirens for the arc in return for an honest review)
I really enjoyed the spooky (&queer!) vibes to this book! It was a fun read and not too long either, being only about 200 pages. 🍂
If you want a short(ish), YA, queer, horror, stranger things vibe kinda book, you’re welcome - this is it. 🎃
Can I just say, I LOVE Sebago.
Overall, I’d probably give it a 4.5 star rating (the 0.5 was because the ending I’ve decided to change - no spoilers!!) ✨
Can’t wait to see what else this author puts out!
(Thank you to booksirens for the arc in return for an honest review)
February 16, 2024
This book was all over the place for me. Spent a lot of time adding more to the story but not actually spending time ON the story. That even make sense? Hah. The characters I did not feel a bond to or care if they lived or died. In fact I just wanted the book over with after awhile.
I give the 1 star to the dog in the story. I liked the dog
I give the 1 star to the dog in the story. I liked the dog
August 27, 2023
Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies by E. M. Roy is such a perfect coming of age queer story that, while it isn't targeted towards a YA audience, would work so so well for a younger audience! It, at least, feels like a book I would've absolutely devoured and obsessed over as a young teen girl.
The story is simple: Tate Mulder has gone missing and her girlfriend, our protagonist, Leo Bates is trying to figure out what happened to her. Has she run away or is there something more sinister at play? We slowly uncover the full story of Tate's disappearance, the mystery of their small town, and the role Leo plays in it all by a before/after narrative - it means that you're not ever really sure where the story will go which makes it a perfect mystery/cozy horror book to me!
If you're looking for cozy horror, with a mysterious and strange small town where people disappear or die in weird circumstances, that is extremely descriptive and centres two queer girls then Let The Woods Keep Our Bodies is a really good option for you!
The only small issue I have with the book is that it unfortunately didn't delve enough into how weird the town really is and what effect it has on the townspeople, but for a debut novel I can't fault it much!
// Thank you to the publisher, Ghoulish Books, and BookSirens for the ARC.
The story is simple: Tate Mulder has gone missing and her girlfriend, our protagonist, Leo Bates is trying to figure out what happened to her. Has she run away or is there something more sinister at play? We slowly uncover the full story of Tate's disappearance, the mystery of their small town, and the role Leo plays in it all by a before/after narrative - it means that you're not ever really sure where the story will go which makes it a perfect mystery/cozy horror book to me!
If you're looking for cozy horror, with a mysterious and strange small town where people disappear or die in weird circumstances, that is extremely descriptive and centres two queer girls then Let The Woods Keep Our Bodies is a really good option for you!
The only small issue I have with the book is that it unfortunately didn't delve enough into how weird the town really is and what effect it has on the townspeople, but for a debut novel I can't fault it much!
// Thank you to the publisher, Ghoulish Books, and BookSirens for the ARC.
October 18, 2023
So, I totally just binge read this whole book in one sitting. And oh my god, I can’t even begin on how much I adored this book. I’ll start with something easy: how Maine it felt. As someone born and raised in Maine, I LOVE reading books set in the state. But very frequently they are written by non-Maine authors who miss these small details about living here that make it feel like a vacant stage. Roy does not do this. Roy paints a stunning picture of what it’s like living in Maine as a queer kid— I could genuinely see snapshots of my own hometown in some of the descriptions of setting, of people. It was such a marvel to read.
And now for the story itself. I was absolutely stunned by the weaving of timelines, the slow draw to reveal the end of the ‘before’ and the ‘after.’ It was so well done that it just completely sucked me in— hence why I read it in one sitting. I also really appreciated this subtle trope subversion that, just for spoilers reasons, I won’t go much into.
And now the characters. MY GOD did I fall in love with Tate and Leo. I sobbed during the last few pages of this book, not just because of the ending (no spoilers) but because of how attached I had gotten to them while reading this. They are beautifully well written and dynamic in a way that feels like a breath of fresh air.
So, to put it simply, read this book. Holy SHIT read this book.
(ARC exchanged for an honest review)
And now for the story itself. I was absolutely stunned by the weaving of timelines, the slow draw to reveal the end of the ‘before’ and the ‘after.’ It was so well done that it just completely sucked me in— hence why I read it in one sitting. I also really appreciated this subtle trope subversion that, just for spoilers reasons, I won’t go much into.
And now the characters. MY GOD did I fall in love with Tate and Leo. I sobbed during the last few pages of this book, not just because of the ending (no spoilers) but because of how attached I had gotten to them while reading this. They are beautifully well written and dynamic in a way that feels like a breath of fresh air.
So, to put it simply, read this book. Holy SHIT read this book.
(ARC exchanged for an honest review)
November 6, 2023
✨2.5✨
I have mixed feelings about this one. The premise is really good but the storytelling was overall dull & read very YA.
I have mixed feelings about this one. The premise is really good but the storytelling was overall dull & read very YA.
October 18, 2023
Tuesday, October 17, 2023
Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies
Kudos to the person who's not Stephen King and who writes a horror story set in Maine. What if you grow up in Maine and want to write horror? Aren't you intimidated setting your story in the state King "owns". It must be a bit like what Flannery O'Connor said about being a Southern writer after William Faulkner: "The presence alone of Faulkner in our midst makes a great difference in what the writer can and cannot permit himself to do. Nobody wants his mule and wagon stalled on the same track the Dixie Limited is roaring down."
On the other hand, if you are from Maine, write stories, and gravitate toward horror, are you supposed to avoid the genre or set your stories somewhere else because Stephen King exists? Of course not. E.M. Roy, from Maine, has done neither, and good thing she hasn't, because her debut novel, Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies, is a poised and excellent example of small-town horror set in that state. Though her characters themselves acknowledge King in the book, her story and preoccupations and style are entirely her own. For a first book, for any book, it has little to no derivativeness. Like all writers, Roy has her literary influences, but already she has been able to incorporate them into her writing in such a way that she has her own distinct voice. And a fresh and compelling voice it is.
"There was never a terror upon this town," the novel begins. "The most trouble folks could get into was limited to speeding tickets and neighborly squabbles that ended with all parties involved getting brunch every day and laughing over drinks." The town mentioned is called Eston, and it's here that Leonora Bates, or Leo, an eighteen-year-old girl, lives with her aunt and uncle. The first chapter has a heading of "After", and each successive chapter will be labeled "Before" or "After", the event they surround being the disappearance of another girl in Eston, Tate Mulder. Tate lives with her single-parent mother, and though they are in the same grade and have known each other for years, Tate and Leo become very close, in fact, fall in love, over the course of one particular summer. When Tate vanishes, Leo is devastated.
While Tate, who is Black, has long been a popular girl in school -- a top student, attractive, charismatic -- Leo has the reputation of being something of a misfit. Her best friend is her dog. She has had serious trauma in her past, the murder-suicide of her parents when she was a child, and that trauma, we find out, ignited violence in her. She has a way of keeping her distance from people, but when Tate unexpectedly makes overtures of friendship towards her, Leo is receptive. It turns out that Tate had some oddness of her own during childhood -- she once wandered out into the town woods and could not be found for a while -- and as a teenager, she has some decidedly esoteric interests. She spends a lot of time in the town library doing research on books with titles like Unexplained Phenomena. A Beginner's Guide to the Occult. Wicca. Women and New England Folktales, The Truth About Urban Legends, and A Practical Study of Crows: Their Prominence and Symbolism. She also has a pronounced interest in such things as "liminal spaces", areas and spots "at the boundary of what was real and not real, of what was Eston and what was outside, what was unexplainable…"
It's in the woods, over the creepy town catacombs, at a bizarre metal door leading to a place containing something, a force, a history, a power, that Tate and Leo come to confront the unexplainable. We see to what extent Tate's obsession with weird phenomena lies. Tate has led Leo to this uncanny door, and Leo, despite her fears, does not pull back from the adventure. Roy sets a number of vivid and strong horror set pieces at this location, and she is good with mood and tension. She builds suspense well with her before and after structure, gradually revealing the significance of the door and how it is tied to past horrors both Leo and the town would prefer to forget.
Roy writes with great empathy for her characters, and you care quite a bit about Leo and Tate. She writes a horror tale that is also a romance as well as a summer rite of passage story. Is anything more intense than first love in adolescence? And in a small town, so confined in certain ways, where nobody truly has secrets, it can be especially hard to shed personal baggage from the past. As much as you may want to leave that town in order to grow, you may find it difficult to leave if the town doesn't want you to leave. Black holes, as we know, have powerful gravitational pulls.
E. M. Roy evokes her setting fully, with crisp prose. Sentence by sentence, Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies is a pleasure to read. Roy doesn't overwrite. It's obvious that she is a horror fiction lover herself, and in a most impressive first book, she has come up with a vintage New England horror story.
Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies
Kudos to the person who's not Stephen King and who writes a horror story set in Maine. What if you grow up in Maine and want to write horror? Aren't you intimidated setting your story in the state King "owns". It must be a bit like what Flannery O'Connor said about being a Southern writer after William Faulkner: "The presence alone of Faulkner in our midst makes a great difference in what the writer can and cannot permit himself to do. Nobody wants his mule and wagon stalled on the same track the Dixie Limited is roaring down."
On the other hand, if you are from Maine, write stories, and gravitate toward horror, are you supposed to avoid the genre or set your stories somewhere else because Stephen King exists? Of course not. E.M. Roy, from Maine, has done neither, and good thing she hasn't, because her debut novel, Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies, is a poised and excellent example of small-town horror set in that state. Though her characters themselves acknowledge King in the book, her story and preoccupations and style are entirely her own. For a first book, for any book, it has little to no derivativeness. Like all writers, Roy has her literary influences, but already she has been able to incorporate them into her writing in such a way that she has her own distinct voice. And a fresh and compelling voice it is.
"There was never a terror upon this town," the novel begins. "The most trouble folks could get into was limited to speeding tickets and neighborly squabbles that ended with all parties involved getting brunch every day and laughing over drinks." The town mentioned is called Eston, and it's here that Leonora Bates, or Leo, an eighteen-year-old girl, lives with her aunt and uncle. The first chapter has a heading of "After", and each successive chapter will be labeled "Before" or "After", the event they surround being the disappearance of another girl in Eston, Tate Mulder. Tate lives with her single-parent mother, and though they are in the same grade and have known each other for years, Tate and Leo become very close, in fact, fall in love, over the course of one particular summer. When Tate vanishes, Leo is devastated.
While Tate, who is Black, has long been a popular girl in school -- a top student, attractive, charismatic -- Leo has the reputation of being something of a misfit. Her best friend is her dog. She has had serious trauma in her past, the murder-suicide of her parents when she was a child, and that trauma, we find out, ignited violence in her. She has a way of keeping her distance from people, but when Tate unexpectedly makes overtures of friendship towards her, Leo is receptive. It turns out that Tate had some oddness of her own during childhood -- she once wandered out into the town woods and could not be found for a while -- and as a teenager, she has some decidedly esoteric interests. She spends a lot of time in the town library doing research on books with titles like Unexplained Phenomena. A Beginner's Guide to the Occult. Wicca. Women and New England Folktales, The Truth About Urban Legends, and A Practical Study of Crows: Their Prominence and Symbolism. She also has a pronounced interest in such things as "liminal spaces", areas and spots "at the boundary of what was real and not real, of what was Eston and what was outside, what was unexplainable…"
It's in the woods, over the creepy town catacombs, at a bizarre metal door leading to a place containing something, a force, a history, a power, that Tate and Leo come to confront the unexplainable. We see to what extent Tate's obsession with weird phenomena lies. Tate has led Leo to this uncanny door, and Leo, despite her fears, does not pull back from the adventure. Roy sets a number of vivid and strong horror set pieces at this location, and she is good with mood and tension. She builds suspense well with her before and after structure, gradually revealing the significance of the door and how it is tied to past horrors both Leo and the town would prefer to forget.
Roy writes with great empathy for her characters, and you care quite a bit about Leo and Tate. She writes a horror tale that is also a romance as well as a summer rite of passage story. Is anything more intense than first love in adolescence? And in a small town, so confined in certain ways, where nobody truly has secrets, it can be especially hard to shed personal baggage from the past. As much as you may want to leave that town in order to grow, you may find it difficult to leave if the town doesn't want you to leave. Black holes, as we know, have powerful gravitational pulls.
E. M. Roy evokes her setting fully, with crisp prose. Sentence by sentence, Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies is a pleasure to read. Roy doesn't overwrite. It's obvious that she is a horror fiction lover herself, and in a most impressive first book, she has come up with a vintage New England horror story.
September 29, 2023
E.M. Roy’s Let the Woods Keep our Bodies is the perfect book to add to your fall reading list. The cozy New England setting slowly lulls you into sense of unease as mysteries unfold and build into horror. Roy perfectly balances the creepy and captivating tragedies of the town, with the soft but passionate love story you will keep turning back to. No matter how scary the story gets I always felt (somewhat) safe in the quaint Maine home Roy builds.
The narrative of the book goes through Leo’s present and past seamlessly. The reader gets to lose their train of thought with her, and get snapped back to her reality like being woken from a dream. Harsh truths, complex mysteries, impending doom, wrapped in a warm and familiar love that pulls you forward. Leo thinks about Tate like any teenager thinks of their first love, with hazy sunshine and rose-colored glasses, pushing the negative to the deepest corners that get brought to light as the story gets darker.
This book brings very real emotion to a supernatural-queer-coming-of-age tale. The ending isn’t happy, nor is it tragic, but retains something that is so needed for queer kids today: hope. Despite all the heartbreak and pain this book works through, it leaves the reader with a sense that everything will be okay, and that love persists even when it is forced to change. A truly beautiful debut by E.M. Roy that makes me eager to see what else they have in store for us.
The narrative of the book goes through Leo’s present and past seamlessly. The reader gets to lose their train of thought with her, and get snapped back to her reality like being woken from a dream. Harsh truths, complex mysteries, impending doom, wrapped in a warm and familiar love that pulls you forward. Leo thinks about Tate like any teenager thinks of their first love, with hazy sunshine and rose-colored glasses, pushing the negative to the deepest corners that get brought to light as the story gets darker.
This book brings very real emotion to a supernatural-queer-coming-of-age tale. The ending isn’t happy, nor is it tragic, but retains something that is so needed for queer kids today: hope. Despite all the heartbreak and pain this book works through, it leaves the reader with a sense that everything will be okay, and that love persists even when it is forced to change. A truly beautiful debut by E.M. Roy that makes me eager to see what else they have in store for us.
October 17, 2023
“Like a black and white photo. Or like someone turned the color saturation all the way down. The door seemed to suck all life from its surroundings.”
Leo is dealing with so much when her girlfriend, Tate, goes missing. Both of Leo's parents are dead and she lives with her aunt and uncle in a small Maine town. Nothing is a secret in a small town so when Tate doesn't show up a home, Leo becomes a person of interest. What is great about this story is how it is told with alternating before and after chapters keeping the suspense of the story turned all the way up. All I can say is that the woods behind the cemetery are not a good place to hang out.
There is so much to love about this book. One of those things is that I noticed a couple titles of other indie books slipped into the writing. At first I thought it was a coincidence but after finding a kind of obscure one I think it was done on purpose as a kind of subtle homage to those whom have come before. It made me wonder what I may have missed and it made me want to go back and read it all over again. Also I would be remiss if I did not mention the wonderful doggo, Sebago, who is prominent in the book. The writing is dark and sometimes gory and E.M. Roy's style is so compelling as you try to figure our what happened to Tate and if she is still alive.
“She had seen this monster in pictures before. In Tate’s notebook, under the list of cryptids. A black dog. The harbinger of death.”
Leo is dealing with so much when her girlfriend, Tate, goes missing. Both of Leo's parents are dead and she lives with her aunt and uncle in a small Maine town. Nothing is a secret in a small town so when Tate doesn't show up a home, Leo becomes a person of interest. What is great about this story is how it is told with alternating before and after chapters keeping the suspense of the story turned all the way up. All I can say is that the woods behind the cemetery are not a good place to hang out.
There is so much to love about this book. One of those things is that I noticed a couple titles of other indie books slipped into the writing. At first I thought it was a coincidence but after finding a kind of obscure one I think it was done on purpose as a kind of subtle homage to those whom have come before. It made me wonder what I may have missed and it made me want to go back and read it all over again. Also I would be remiss if I did not mention the wonderful doggo, Sebago, who is prominent in the book. The writing is dark and sometimes gory and E.M. Roy's style is so compelling as you try to figure our what happened to Tate and if she is still alive.
“She had seen this monster in pictures before. In Tate’s notebook, under the list of cryptids. A black dog. The harbinger of death.”
December 4, 2023
Leo feels comfortable in her life in small town Easton, Maine. That is, until Tate Mulder goes missing and all eyes turn to Leo as the prime suspect. Leo is forced to delve into the secrets around her in order to find the truth, no matter how horrifying or strange it may be.
Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies is a combination of coming of age horror. It features queer representation as well. I loved the writing format of this book. It was told in a before/after style, so the reader is on a strict information diet. We get information piecemeal, exactly when we need it. This made the book really engaging, and made it hard to guess what was coming. I simply wanted to read faster and faster because I needed those timelines to reconcile with one another. Leo and Tate are compelling characters and your heart truly breaks for them and the prejudice they go through in their small town. I enjoyed the urban legend and cryptid vibes as that's a branch of horror I am only recently getting into. This was a stunningly addictive debut novel with all the right pieces working together.
Thank you to BookSirens and the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.
Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies is a combination of coming of age horror. It features queer representation as well. I loved the writing format of this book. It was told in a before/after style, so the reader is on a strict information diet. We get information piecemeal, exactly when we need it. This made the book really engaging, and made it hard to guess what was coming. I simply wanted to read faster and faster because I needed those timelines to reconcile with one another. Leo and Tate are compelling characters and your heart truly breaks for them and the prejudice they go through in their small town. I enjoyed the urban legend and cryptid vibes as that's a branch of horror I am only recently getting into. This was a stunningly addictive debut novel with all the right pieces working together.
Thank you to BookSirens and the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.
October 15, 2023
Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies just released this week. I was in the mood for a quick creepy read and I had the digital review copy on my phone. This hit the spot! It was so good, I practically read it in one sitting.
It's a queer, small town, urband legend, cryptid cosmic horror story. I know it sounds weird but trust me on this, it fucking works!
Leo and her girlfriend Tate are no strangers to trauma. While Leo is trying to put distance between hers, Tate's all about exploring and understanding it. Scared of the forest, yet intriqued by the local disappearances and deaths that have been reported in the woods surrounding the town's cemetery, Tate convinces Leo to go on a walk that ends with Tate going missing and Leo under suspicion.
Leo refuses to believe Tate's dead but she can't remember what happened in those last moments they were together. In an attempt to jog her memory, she leverages some of Tate's recent research into the town's history, and her parents' gruesome deaths, but uncovering a unique link between that and the strange door she and Tate stumbled across while out there.
What are some of your favorite 'small town with dark secret' stories?
It's a queer, small town, urband legend, cryptid cosmic horror story. I know it sounds weird but trust me on this, it fucking works!
Leo and her girlfriend Tate are no strangers to trauma. While Leo is trying to put distance between hers, Tate's all about exploring and understanding it. Scared of the forest, yet intriqued by the local disappearances and deaths that have been reported in the woods surrounding the town's cemetery, Tate convinces Leo to go on a walk that ends with Tate going missing and Leo under suspicion.
Leo refuses to believe Tate's dead but she can't remember what happened in those last moments they were together. In an attempt to jog her memory, she leverages some of Tate's recent research into the town's history, and her parents' gruesome deaths, but uncovering a unique link between that and the strange door she and Tate stumbled across while out there.
What are some of your favorite 'small town with dark secret' stories?
October 27, 2023
My full video review is up on my channel. Come watch me discuss this fantastic book!
CW: Suicide, Gore
This is E.M. Roy's debut novel, and woah! What a way to announce yourself to the world of horror!
First off - I loved this book! No, seriously, I am buying a physical copy for my bookshelf!
The writing immediately grips you; the descriptions of places and people will pull you in and refuse to let you go - much like the town of Eston, Maine. The way Roy introduces you to Leo and Tate makes you feel like you genuinely get to know them. You experience their emotions all the way to the bittersweet end.
You become engrossed in Tate's obsession with the weirdness of Eston - you want to learn more. You also empathize with Leo as she tries to navigate what she is learning about herself and the town she thought she always knew.
The backdrop of Eston, Maine, was very well done. I'm aware of the spooky stories from the Appalachian mountains that run through that state. From bigfoot sightings to disappearances. As someone knowledgeable of those stories, I knew I was in for a spooky ride.
The queer love story that weaves its way throughout the narrative is lovely despite the chaos happening all around it. Tate and Leo's relationship greatly depicts a young adult romance. I even found myself getting choked up at some of the moments they shared.
I enjoyed how the story unfolds with the chapters depicting BEFORE and AFTER. (Before Tate's disappearance and After Tate's disappearance) It was never confusing. I always knew "when" I was in the story. The way Roy reveals information is perfect. You are given just the right amount of information to have the mystery unfold for you AND keep you engaged.
This book is dark, with some heavy subject matter and gruesome imagery. I had some difficulty reading this at night and having those images stay in my head long after. I still would recommend it to those who love small-town horror, cryptids, and a well-fleshed-out mystery. Just be aware the images may sit with you for a bit. The last 15% of the book will have you white-knuckling the cover for dear life!
I cannot wait to see what Roy does next. This story has made a die-hard fan out of me!
Thank you to Goulish Books and BookSirens. I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
CW: Suicide, Gore
This is E.M. Roy's debut novel, and woah! What a way to announce yourself to the world of horror!
First off - I loved this book! No, seriously, I am buying a physical copy for my bookshelf!
The writing immediately grips you; the descriptions of places and people will pull you in and refuse to let you go - much like the town of Eston, Maine. The way Roy introduces you to Leo and Tate makes you feel like you genuinely get to know them. You experience their emotions all the way to the bittersweet end.
You become engrossed in Tate's obsession with the weirdness of Eston - you want to learn more. You also empathize with Leo as she tries to navigate what she is learning about herself and the town she thought she always knew.
The backdrop of Eston, Maine, was very well done. I'm aware of the spooky stories from the Appalachian mountains that run through that state. From bigfoot sightings to disappearances. As someone knowledgeable of those stories, I knew I was in for a spooky ride.
The queer love story that weaves its way throughout the narrative is lovely despite the chaos happening all around it. Tate and Leo's relationship greatly depicts a young adult romance. I even found myself getting choked up at some of the moments they shared.
I enjoyed how the story unfolds with the chapters depicting BEFORE and AFTER. (Before Tate's disappearance and After Tate's disappearance) It was never confusing. I always knew "when" I was in the story. The way Roy reveals information is perfect. You are given just the right amount of information to have the mystery unfold for you AND keep you engaged.
This book is dark, with some heavy subject matter and gruesome imagery. I had some difficulty reading this at night and having those images stay in my head long after. I still would recommend it to those who love small-town horror, cryptids, and a well-fleshed-out mystery. Just be aware the images may sit with you for a bit. The last 15% of the book will have you white-knuckling the cover for dear life!
I cannot wait to see what Roy does next. This story has made a die-hard fan out of me!
Thank you to Goulish Books and BookSirens. I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 1, 2023
This was such a sad, sad queer love story! E.M. Roy’s 'Let the Woods Keep our Bodies' is chock full of strong emotion, though it's written simply and mostly descriptively. It's essentially a queer coming-of-age debut novel, the plot driven not so much by need or desire as certain supernatural elements that bring two girls together, an occurence that would not have happened otherwise. Although their fate seems intertwined, we slowly realize that they are not meant to be together, be it because of their different personalities and background or the resolution of the supernatural threat. The latter is not all that much original (a door in the woods that haunts the town the girls live in), but Roy has a nice way with words and allows for some riveting imagery when it comes to the manifestations of the paranormal. The ending was realistic, though not happy. I'm looking forward to Roy's next book - no way I'll miss it!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 21, 2023
Good characters can exist in any given story and I think this is Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies' calling card. Leonora Bates and Tate Mulder are stars. I'd read entire novels of their unlikely investigations.
Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies is all about the horror investigation and not necessarily about its resolution (which is a little disappointing), but over the ongoing mystery, the depiction of the overbearing stillness of small town life was pretty dead on. Not only the unlikeliness of anything bad happening over there, but also the carefree attitude of the people who don't think anything bad can happen to them.
E.M Roy's talented. I think this is very much a practice swing for what she can really do, but she's talented. She's the real deal.
Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies is all about the horror investigation and not necessarily about its resolution (which is a little disappointing), but over the ongoing mystery, the depiction of the overbearing stillness of small town life was pretty dead on. Not only the unlikeliness of anything bad happening over there, but also the carefree attitude of the people who don't think anything bad can happen to them.
E.M Roy's talented. I think this is very much a practice swing for what she can really do, but she's talented. She's the real deal.
November 24, 2023
Finally, horror that kept me on the edge of my seat. It started slowly, but eventually became intriguing, scary, and impossible to put down. This was a great blend of mystery and small town horror (in Maine, yay!), with a well executed coming of age theme in the background.
The author says themself the novel doesn't revolutionize the genre, and though this is true, I think this makes a great debut novel and I look forward to reading their next work. Not all books need to be revolutionary or mind-blowing to be enjoyable, and a well-told story with relatable characters is all I need to be sucked into a book.
The author says themself the novel doesn't revolutionize the genre, and though this is true, I think this makes a great debut novel and I look forward to reading their next work. Not all books need to be revolutionary or mind-blowing to be enjoyable, and a well-told story with relatable characters is all I need to be sucked into a book.
October 25, 2023
A good debut that ultimately just didn’t grab me and pull me in at the top and so took me a little while to settle in. But there’s a lot to like here! Some incredible fall vibes, growing up and coming out handled in a way that feels authentic, and some delightfully creepy crawlies!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 26, 2024
What a brilliant book for a debut author. I loved the absurdity and beauty that is "Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies". The love between Leo and Tate that seems to defy everything around them in the small town of Eston, Maine: the tangled tragedies of their pasts and the dark abyss in the woods that draws them in. Definitely worth your time and money.
October 27, 2023
This was a decent, queer, YA horror read. Definitely interesting and fresh.
February 3, 2024
3.5 - small town with secrets, good protagonists, family mystery. A good first novel.
September 7, 2023
Rating: 3.5 stars, rounded down for Goodreads
“There’s truth behind all fiction, whether you want to see it or not.”
📚
Set in Eston, Maine, Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies follows loner Leonora (“Leo”) Bates, who has lived with her aunt and uncle since age 10, when she tragically lost her parents. Already struggling with grief and fragmented memories, Leo is forced to deal with loss yet again after her popular classmate and girlfriend, Tate Mulder, goes missing. And when Leo is named the primary suspect, she must get to the bottom of her hometown’s mysteries — which include monstrous, creepy, inexplicable conspiracies surrounding the nearby woodland — before it’s too late.
This novella is an interesting blend of sapphic, small-town horror and mystery that moves back and forth in time, designated as “Before” and “After.” Through flashbacks, the storyline gradually reveals Leo and Tate’s histories and relationship progression while exposing the “infinite urban legends” that serve as the backbone of Eston’s strange and gruesome past. This alternation lends a confusing, almost dream-like quality to the plot where the reader isn’t sure what’s real and what isn’t, as well as why some things are happening (which might actually be the point!).
The public library’s spooky local history archive serves as a substantial and satisfying backdrop, along with the town’s cemetery and forest, which creates a wonderfully eerie and atmospheric ambiance where the unexplainable may lurk around every corner. Sebago, Leo’s faithful dog, also plays a unique role throughout the story. A longer length would have allowed the author to delve more deeply into the town’s mysterious legends (which this reader would have devoured!), but this debut is nonetheless a creative, engrossing, and enjoyable experience.
Thank you to Ghoulish Books and BookSirens for allowing me to read and review a digital ARC of this forthcoming release. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
“There’s truth behind all fiction, whether you want to see it or not.”
📚
Set in Eston, Maine, Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies follows loner Leonora (“Leo”) Bates, who has lived with her aunt and uncle since age 10, when she tragically lost her parents. Already struggling with grief and fragmented memories, Leo is forced to deal with loss yet again after her popular classmate and girlfriend, Tate Mulder, goes missing. And when Leo is named the primary suspect, she must get to the bottom of her hometown’s mysteries — which include monstrous, creepy, inexplicable conspiracies surrounding the nearby woodland — before it’s too late.
This novella is an interesting blend of sapphic, small-town horror and mystery that moves back and forth in time, designated as “Before” and “After.” Through flashbacks, the storyline gradually reveals Leo and Tate’s histories and relationship progression while exposing the “infinite urban legends” that serve as the backbone of Eston’s strange and gruesome past. This alternation lends a confusing, almost dream-like quality to the plot where the reader isn’t sure what’s real and what isn’t, as well as why some things are happening (which might actually be the point!).
The public library’s spooky local history archive serves as a substantial and satisfying backdrop, along with the town’s cemetery and forest, which creates a wonderfully eerie and atmospheric ambiance where the unexplainable may lurk around every corner. Sebago, Leo’s faithful dog, also plays a unique role throughout the story. A longer length would have allowed the author to delve more deeply into the town’s mysterious legends (which this reader would have devoured!), but this debut is nonetheless a creative, engrossing, and enjoyable experience.
Thank you to Ghoulish Books and BookSirens for allowing me to read and review a digital ARC of this forthcoming release. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 29, 2024
Let the Woods Keep Our Bodies is a pretty compelling coming-of-age story, marred by a couple of sizable issues.
First, some of the supernatural stuff that happens. The idea of a town that won't let people leave is a fine enough basis for a paranormal antagonistic force. Especially in a story about older teenagers--who among us didn't dread being trapped forever in the same town where they grew up, at some point in their childhoods? One could argue it's a damn near perfect choice for a foil to the heroes. But when stuff like people's bodies exploding into monstrous leeches, or animals taking on supernatural powers starts cropping up, it just...doesn't fit. Sure, there's lip service paid to the question of "What if all cryptids and supernatural phenomena exist?" but it comes across more as a weak excuse for the author to just add in whatever, regardless of whether it's consistent with the rest of the story.
Second, there's Tate. Tate is a terrible person, and you can't convince me otherwise. Sure, she's trying to get to the bottom of the weirdness in the town of Eston for ostensibly noble purposes, but she is flat-out using Leo every step of the way. And once Tate's gotten the resolution she wants, she just leaves Leo by the wayside. You might say you read that in a different light, but I don't buy it. For me, Tate was a very hard protagonist to like. And while you could argue what she and Leo go through is representative of the shitty relationships everyone experiences--particularly when we're young--it isn't portrayed that way in the end.
All that said, there's still a good story here. It takes teenage fears about being trapped, not knowing where you're going in life, and not even really knowing who you even are yet, and magnifies them through a horrific lens. Even though it loses focus at times, and saddles us with a manipulative, gaslighting main character, there's still a compelling horror story at the core, here.
First, some of the supernatural stuff that happens. The idea of a town that won't let people leave is a fine enough basis for a paranormal antagonistic force. Especially in a story about older teenagers--who among us didn't dread being trapped forever in the same town where they grew up, at some point in their childhoods? One could argue it's a damn near perfect choice for a foil to the heroes. But when stuff like people's bodies exploding into monstrous leeches, or animals taking on supernatural powers starts cropping up, it just...doesn't fit. Sure, there's lip service paid to the question of "What if all cryptids and supernatural phenomena exist?" but it comes across more as a weak excuse for the author to just add in whatever, regardless of whether it's consistent with the rest of the story.
Second, there's Tate. Tate is a terrible person, and you can't convince me otherwise. Sure, she's trying to get to the bottom of the weirdness in the town of Eston for ostensibly noble purposes, but she is flat-out using Leo every step of the way. And once Tate's gotten the resolution she wants, she just leaves Leo by the wayside. You might say you read that in a different light, but I don't buy it. For me, Tate was a very hard protagonist to like. And while you could argue what she and Leo go through is representative of the shitty relationships everyone experiences--particularly when we're young--it isn't portrayed that way in the end.
All that said, there's still a good story here. It takes teenage fears about being trapped, not knowing where you're going in life, and not even really knowing who you even are yet, and magnifies them through a horrific lens. Even though it loses focus at times, and saddles us with a manipulative, gaslighting main character, there's still a compelling horror story at the core, here.
September 9, 2023
Thank you for providing me an advance review copy for free. I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
Let the woods keep our bodies is a very interesting queer horror novella. Leo and Tate become friends during the summer, a deep friendship that quickly evolves into a romantic relationship. But problems start arising when Leo finds out that Tate is obsessed with cryptids, their town's weird (borderline supernatural) death/murder cases, and, most importantly, Leo's past. When her obsessive investigation causes Tate to disappear, Leo must confront what happened that summer and right before Tate went missing while also dealing with the police and her family questioning her involvement in the case.
The story is told alternating between two timelines: BEFORE, in which we witness Tate and Leo's relationship from the beginning and what happened for Tate to disappear, and AFTER, where we follow Leo while she deals with police interrogations and her own fears, incapable of remembering what happened to Tate but knowing she was somehow involved in her disappearance. This dual timeline keeps things very interesting at first, but in the last few chapters it makes everything super confusing, and blurs the line between before and after in a way that I suppose was intentional for the author, but was a slight miss for me.
The horror elements were there, but mild; a bit of gore, some supernatural beings and haunted woods/cemetery. It wasn't super scary for me, but it still kept me engaged and wanting to know what happened to these girls. The ending was bittersweet, but I suppose it fits the story.
Let the woods keep our bodies is a very interesting queer horror novella. Leo and Tate become friends during the summer, a deep friendship that quickly evolves into a romantic relationship. But problems start arising when Leo finds out that Tate is obsessed with cryptids, their town's weird (borderline supernatural) death/murder cases, and, most importantly, Leo's past. When her obsessive investigation causes Tate to disappear, Leo must confront what happened that summer and right before Tate went missing while also dealing with the police and her family questioning her involvement in the case.
The story is told alternating between two timelines: BEFORE, in which we witness Tate and Leo's relationship from the beginning and what happened for Tate to disappear, and AFTER, where we follow Leo while she deals with police interrogations and her own fears, incapable of remembering what happened to Tate but knowing she was somehow involved in her disappearance. This dual timeline keeps things very interesting at first, but in the last few chapters it makes everything super confusing, and blurs the line between before and after in a way that I suppose was intentional for the author, but was a slight miss for me.
The horror elements were there, but mild; a bit of gore, some supernatural beings and haunted woods/cemetery. It wasn't super scary for me, but it still kept me engaged and wanting to know what happened to these girls. The ending was bittersweet, but I suppose it fits the story.
February 15, 2024
"Let The Woods Keep Our Bodies", by E.M Roy, a debut queer novella set in Easton Maine. A horror story with a bit of queer romance. Tate Mulder goes missing and her girlfriend, Leo Bates, is trying to find her.
Smal town horror is a favorite of mine. Leo has a lot going on in her life. Her parents passed away. She lives with her aunt and uncle in Easton, Maine. Then her girlfriend, Tate, disappears.
"Let The Woods Keep Our Bodies" is not targeted to the young adult audience but I got that feel from it.
"Let The Woods Keep Our Bodies" alternates between a
'before' and 'after' timeline. 'Before' explores the progression of their relationship; 'After 'talks about Tate's disappearance.
Roy includes flashbacks and backstory that provides a back bone for the town and the mystery that surrounds it. The story has plenty of moving parts that tie in very well. Roy weaves between the timelines with ease.
The story is set in town situated near woods. There are graveyards and other interesting facets to Easton. Small town horror story is my favorite. Roy does not delve into the town's history and its effect on its residents. I would have liked to learn more about Easton and its mysteries.
The book starts out with the progression of the romance and mystery build up. It is written in beautiful prose. I The book did not hook me, immediately. I kept reading because I needed to know the reveal behind the mystery. The setting was intriguing to me. The last third of the book ramps up the horror. Not hardcore horror. "Let The Woods Keep Our Bodies" is a cozy mystery with a touch of sapphic romance. I cannot wait to see the next story by E.M. Roy. 3.5 stars
Smal town horror is a favorite of mine. Leo has a lot going on in her life. Her parents passed away. She lives with her aunt and uncle in Easton, Maine. Then her girlfriend, Tate, disappears.
"Let The Woods Keep Our Bodies" is not targeted to the young adult audience but I got that feel from it.
"Let The Woods Keep Our Bodies" alternates between a
'before' and 'after' timeline. 'Before' explores the progression of their relationship; 'After 'talks about Tate's disappearance.
Roy includes flashbacks and backstory that provides a back bone for the town and the mystery that surrounds it. The story has plenty of moving parts that tie in very well. Roy weaves between the timelines with ease.
The story is set in town situated near woods. There are graveyards and other interesting facets to Easton. Small town horror story is my favorite. Roy does not delve into the town's history and its effect on its residents. I would have liked to learn more about Easton and its mysteries.
The book starts out with the progression of the romance and mystery build up. It is written in beautiful prose. I The book did not hook me, immediately. I kept reading because I needed to know the reveal behind the mystery. The setting was intriguing to me. The last third of the book ramps up the horror. Not hardcore horror. "Let The Woods Keep Our Bodies" is a cozy mystery with a touch of sapphic romance. I cannot wait to see the next story by E.M. Roy. 3.5 stars
November 4, 2023
In Let the Woods Keep Our Body by E.M. Roy, readers are plunged into an exhilarating whirlwind of mystery and suspense that grips the imagination from the very first page.
Leo Bates, the resilient protagonist, leads us through a haunting narrative that blurs the lines between reality and the unknown in the seemingly ordinary town of Eston, Maine. As Leo's world unravels, the author masterfully weaves together elements of grief, love, and a spine-chilling sense of the uncanny, leaving readers breathless with anticipation.
The intricate plot, filled with unexpected twists and turns, keeps readers on the edge of their seats, eagerly turning page after page to unravel the enigmatic secrets that haunt Eston. The author's vivid descriptions of the eerie woods and the town's peculiar atmosphere evoke a palpable sense of unease, immersing readers in a world where every shadow conceals a new mystery.
With a riveting blend of supernatural occurrences, complex character dynamics, and a touch of heart-wrenching romance, This book is a captivating exploration of the darkness that lurks beneath the surface of small-town life. E.M. Roy has crafted a spellbinding tale that will stay with readers long after they've turned the final page, leaving them questioning the boundaries between reality and the unknown. A must-read for any fan of gripping, atmospheric mysteries that linger in the mind.
Leo Bates, the resilient protagonist, leads us through a haunting narrative that blurs the lines between reality and the unknown in the seemingly ordinary town of Eston, Maine. As Leo's world unravels, the author masterfully weaves together elements of grief, love, and a spine-chilling sense of the uncanny, leaving readers breathless with anticipation.
The intricate plot, filled with unexpected twists and turns, keeps readers on the edge of their seats, eagerly turning page after page to unravel the enigmatic secrets that haunt Eston. The author's vivid descriptions of the eerie woods and the town's peculiar atmosphere evoke a palpable sense of unease, immersing readers in a world where every shadow conceals a new mystery.
With a riveting blend of supernatural occurrences, complex character dynamics, and a touch of heart-wrenching romance, This book is a captivating exploration of the darkness that lurks beneath the surface of small-town life. E.M. Roy has crafted a spellbinding tale that will stay with readers long after they've turned the final page, leaving them questioning the boundaries between reality and the unknown. A must-read for any fan of gripping, atmospheric mysteries that linger in the mind.
Read
November 17, 2023Ugh, I’ve been in a writing slump and am so far behind on my reviews! So apologies to the author for this late review. It had everything to do with me.
I was pretty excited for this book based on the description, especially that it was a cross between the X-Files and My Best Friend’s Exorcism, which is by one of my top three favorite authors, so I knew that I had to check it out!
Right away I was drawn in when Leo’s dog was injured in the woods. My dog had recently been hurt, so it was a great hook, personally. I loved Leo and Tate’s love story, and how Leo had tried to defend Tate’s honor. The detective was so unlikeable, which I believe was the goal, especially with his ableism. Also Tate was an interesting character. As likable as she was most of the time, she also took some actions that were creepy at the least, and scary at the worst.
The last part of the book lost me a bit. It got weird very quickly, however I had a hard time comprehending what actually happened and how it all worked. So that part wasn’t really for me, I do prefer to know how the things in a book happen, but I know that many will love the unexplainable quality to the end of the story.
Overall I think that if you’re a fan of a love story with a mysterious dive into the unknown, you should check this out.
I was pretty excited for this book based on the description, especially that it was a cross between the X-Files and My Best Friend’s Exorcism, which is by one of my top three favorite authors, so I knew that I had to check it out!
Right away I was drawn in when Leo’s dog was injured in the woods. My dog had recently been hurt, so it was a great hook, personally. I loved Leo and Tate’s love story, and how Leo had tried to defend Tate’s honor. The detective was so unlikeable, which I believe was the goal, especially with his ableism. Also Tate was an interesting character. As likable as she was most of the time, she also took some actions that were creepy at the least, and scary at the worst.
The last part of the book lost me a bit. It got weird very quickly, however I had a hard time comprehending what actually happened and how it all worked. So that part wasn’t really for me, I do prefer to know how the things in a book happen, but I know that many will love the unexplainable quality to the end of the story.
Overall I think that if you’re a fan of a love story with a mysterious dive into the unknown, you should check this out.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews