Book Review: Reap, Sow by S.H. Cooper
Title: Reap, Sow
Author: S.H. Cooper
Release date: March 24, 2025
*Huge thanks to S.H. for sending me a digital ARC of this!*
There are few authors out there that I know that are as versatile and shape-shifting as Cooper is. Between M/G-Y/A, fantasy, gothic, historical/period, folk horror and straight up horror, Cooper outwrites 99% of every single author out there that focuses squarely on any of those genres singularly. It’s one of the reasons why I always look forward to more of her work, but also why I get so friggin’ annoyed when I don’t see her work shouted from the rooftops of every single Bookstagrammer and Book Tokker.
When Cooper announced this one, I was immediately struck by A.A. Medina’s cover and knew that Cooper had something vicious in store for us. I dove in, expecting to get smacked in the face, but I didn’t expect to not be able to put this one down. Read over a single, frantic session, I had to know what the secret was, what the big reveal would be, and when it came, I was so happy for how well Cooper had pulled it all together.
What I liked: The story follows a young woman, seemingly struck with a brief amnesiac spell, trying to figure out who she is, why she knows some things but not others and why bits and pieces are slowly coming back to her.
Known by her nickname of ‘Lucky,’ family members start to arrive, questioning her and we see that something’s off with each one. Cooper keeps the aspects of this ‘offness’ close to her chest with each interaction, slowly revealing the reality of what it is, but still not allowing Lucky to have that lightbulb moment of what actually occurred.
Not until we get to the very – bitter – end.
When the cards are shown and the truth comes out, Cooper does a wonderful job of making sure every single detail is blood covered and to a degree, this turned out to be a bit of a semi-retelling of ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf.’ The ending is powerful, gut wrenching and will ultimately make you rethink how you perceived Lucky throughout.
What I didn’t like: Nothing, lol. This one was perfect from start to finish. Cooper really outdid herself here with this one.
Why you should buy this: Cooper should be a ‘must-buy’ and a ‘must-read’ author, so if you’re already a fan, you’re going to be very, very happy with this one. If you’ve not read any of her work before, this is a great jumping in point, but be aware – she’s got a sizable back catalog, so you’re wallet will be taking a hit!
