Lonely Places

by Kate Anderson

After a traumatic experience steals her younger sister Guthrie’s voice, sixteen-year-old Chase and her family move to an isolated fire lookout in Pando, a grove of Aspen tree clones connected by a massive underground root system. The lookout is supposed to give the family stability after years spent traveling the country in a converted school bus, but all Chase wants is to go back to the hometown they fled eight years ago.

When Chase gets a job at a nearby summer camp, she learns that something happened at the lookout, something no one wants to talk about. Chase isn’t entirely surprised: Pando is a place where odd things happen, like birds singing on a loop or bones sprouting out of the ground like wildflowers. Worse? Pando is changing Guthrie, and Chase doesn’t know how to stop it or even if she should.

Despite her resolve to protect Guthrie, Chase becomes increasingly distracted by Wilder, the lifeguard at camp who offers her a taste of normalcy and a new perspective on her skoolie family. But more time with Wilder means less time with Guthrie, and the mysterious force in the forest draws Guthrie deeper into its darkness—until she’s nowhere to be found. Chase must face her own childhood trauma and find her way into a strange and sinister world to rescue her sister before Guthrie is lost to the lonely places forever.

Genres: Horror, Young Adult, Fiction, Fantasy

Paperback

First published October 29, 2024

Reviews

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

This book starts off well, laying out an isolated setting, a unique family, and a mysterious night that has lingering trauma surrounding everyone. I was intrigued by what happened to Gertie and her interactions with the forest. I also felt for Chase, being uprooted constantly and yearning for some stability in her life.

The middle of the book lost me. I felt like it slowed down and the mystery of Tessa and Gertie wasn't really going anywhere. Things never really got creepy or scary and by the end there were unresolved threads just left. I think this had potential, but needed more from it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Flux and NetGalley for the copy.

[Horror Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well written creepy novel about trauma, liminal places, and how one event can alter your life forever.

The family in this book have been living in a converted bus, traveling across the country trying to be self reliant and be more attuned to nature. At least that's what the father wants. The rest of the family, including his wife and two daughters, are less sure about it.

The main protagonist is the oldest daughter. She looks forward to being on her own and having a more stable connected life. She doesn't want their current lifestyle at all.

When her father takes a job as a fire lookout at Pandora (a very real place that I recommend you Google. It's fascinating!) for a year she decides to get a job at a campground nearby to save money for her independence.

A year earlier, she left her younger sister in the woods and her sister became lost. When they found her, she was traumatised and hasn't spoken a word to anyone since. She's normal in every way except she doesn't speak. The guilt eats away at the older sister.

But being at Pando and living in the fire lookout tower soon takes a frightening turn. She begins seeing things that could not be there and her younger sister becomes obsessed with collecting bones from the woods surrounding them. And her sister seems to talk to the trees.

There's something really creepy about the way this author writes about Pando. The backstory of a young girl who went missing from that very watchtower years ago adds to this horror mystery as the past and the present collide.

This is more psychological horror and there's not a lot of blood and gore but it is effectively tense and keeps you reading as the mysteries of Pando slowly begin to be discovered.

This novel deals with past trauma and guilt in a way that perfectly fits the supernatural elements and it makes for a fantastic page turner. I highly recommend it.

I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley with no consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.

[Heather Burks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Net Galley and North Star Editions for an ARC of this book to read and review.

Wow this was such a different, beautiful, and haunting story. It's definitely a slow burn and you don't really know where it's going for a while but that's what makes it so good.

In all honesty if I had known it was such a tale of trauma I might have not read it, at least right now, but I'm still very glad I did.

It really was a true tale of coping and healing. One quote toward the end that really resonated with me was "You can't just ignore things and expect them to go away." And that really sums up this story and life in general.

I especially loved that Boone, NC was such a special in this story. It's such a special place to me as well and I'm packing up to head there as I finish this story. It really made it even more a perfect timing to read it.

The only reason I stayed at 4.25/5 is I wish the Lonely Places were fleshed out a bit more and I also wish the initial "night" with Guthrie had a bit more to it. Those both left me wanting a little more.

Otherwise if you want a haunting summer read, this is perfect. But maybe don't read it in the woods 😂

[Bryna Adamo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lonely Places is a story about a family who moves out into the wilderness to escape the trappings of society. We find out quickly that this is just the surface reason that is given for this move and the forest that they have chosen to call home is not as benign as expected. This story is about trauma and that ways the people will go to avoid, minimize and pass it on to others. Communication, trust and lack there of are very big themes that are explored with respect to finding the truth, what family truly means and the damage we do to others when we can not face our own.

I thought this was very well written and the imagery was on point. It was creepy and poignet and gave you all the feels. I would highly recommend this to everyone to read, but just review the trigger warnings first as it will not be for everyone. I really enjoyed this! 4.25 stars! 🌲🌳✨✨✨✨

[Tye Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lonely Places is an eerie atmospheric YA story with themes of trauma and liminal spaces. This is a creepy tale with a backdrop of wilderness and small town vibes. I really enjoyed Chase's point of view, I felt like the teenaged voice was well done and it felt like I was on this journey with her. There was some found family and romance themes as well, and I felt like they flowed with the story pretty well.

Overall, this is a very readable, atmosphere heavy book that I would recommend to anyone looking for something in the YA creepy-horror genre. I wish there was a little more explanation to some of the mysteries and that the ending was a bit more climactic, which are the only reasons this was not a 5 star read for me.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for this e-ARC!

[frecklesandpumpkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a beautifully written book! This story delves through an atmospheric world that feels almost folk horror like. The whole book oozes with atmosphere, so you will have no problem immersing yourself into Pando, and even less of a problem attaching yourself to these well written, likable characters. This is a moving story that deals with trauma, indecision, and has underlying lessons that you can take away when you finish the book, but also? It’s so creepy! This was the first page turner I have read in a while. I can’t wait for more from this author.

[Dalia (book_o_creativity) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sad, hopefully and mysterious. Lonely Places was great, a story about trauma, denial and coping. I loved all the characters and their relationships. The way Chase development was built and the way she started trusting the people around her was beautiful. Although her and her family had their ups and downs (and got me going crazy sometimes) at the end they truly cared for each and changed for the better, they did what was right to be able to move forward.

Thank you NetGally for giving me the opportunity of reading the eARC

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.25

My feelings about this book changed a lot as I was reading. This was probably due to the pacing of the book, because a lot of the times where it should have been action packed and fast paced, it really fell flat.

But, I'll start with the positives: This book immediately caught my attention with a really unique setting and family dynamic. Our main character Chase is the daughter of parents who decided to uproot their life close to a decade ago and travel the country in a renovated school bus. Chase has a little sister who you immediately want to know more about and figure out the mystery of why she is selectively mute. The family winds up at a fire tower surrounded by Aspen trees, which I could imagine is absolutely beautiful! There's a ton of creepy imagery and suspense throughout the whole book which I appreciated. The little sister also collects bones from the nearby forest and does some strange things that really add to the tense tone. The overall message of the book is super important and I liked how it tied into the mystery and horror aspect of the story.

But, there were so many things that disappointed me when I had such high hopes for the first 50% of the book! I thought it was going to be close to a 5⭐ read for me. There were a few mysteries that were focused on a ton in the beginning and then NEVER explained fully by the end. Instead, a briefly mentioned mystery that was never built up took up the whole ending. And the ending felt like it should have had more action and suspense but it seemed really rushed to me. It felt almost out of place with the book. I was expecting everything from the beginning to tie into the big mystery but it didn't. Usually when a book builds up so much suspense, there's a climactic ending that wraps it all together but this was just suspense to slow boring parts to an anticlimactic ending. I liked the romance subplot for awhile and was expecting the love interest to play a part in the ending as well but he was nowhere to be seen. And after some time it just felt like filler scenes that messed with the pacing and suspense. None of the side characters felt fully fleshed out either. Just Chase, but she was not super likable.

Idk if it's just me not loving YA anymore, but this was kind of disappointing when the premise and message of the book were so promising.

If you do enjoy creepy YA books with mental health undertones, I would recommend this. But don't get too caught up in the suspense like I did because it will disappoint you in the end.

[♡ A ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eerie, unnerving story set in an unsettling forest with a strong theme of family and healing.

Lonely Places follows sixteen-year-old Chase after she and her family move to an isolated community in Pando. They live in the middle of the woods in a fire lookout, a grove of Aspen trees all around them. The lookout is supposed to be an opportunity of stability after spending years traveling the country in a converted school bus and a traumatic experience causes Chase’s younger sister, Guthrie, to stop talking. The only problem is Chase just wants to go back to their hometown and build roots there. In the meantime, she gets a job at a summer camp where she learns that something awful happened at the lookout—and no one wants to talk about. Odd things begin happening: birds singing on a loop, deformed bones sprouting from the ground, and Guthrie acting strange. Chase has to overcome childhood trauma and figure out what’s happening in Pando before she loses Guthrie forever.

This is such a good book! It had the perfect balance of mystery and horror and healing from childhood trauma. I really enjoyed the plot, and the ending reveal was really well done. The vibes are so good! The forest was perfectly creepy and unsettling and dark while still giving off summery vibes. I think this is the perfect book to read in the summer. I loved the concept of the lonely places, it's so intriguing and had me so invested.

I thought Chase was a really good main character. She’s so protective of her sister and it felt very real to how a teenager would react and act in the tense situations. She has a lot of love and guilt surrounding Guthrie and I really enjoyed how that was explored. I loved her romantic subplot–Wilder was so lovely. They fit together really sweetly and I loved seeing Chase’s arc and opening up more throughout the course of the novel. I also really loved the conversations with Chase and her parents. It was a really interesting family dynamic. Guthrie, while a cute kid, was a bit unnerving the longer the book went on. The author did a really good job of keeping you guessing and unsettled with the setting and the characters.

Overall, this is such a perfect summertime read if you love creepy forests and quite eerie, tense scenes!

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think before anything else I have to say I am surprised by how much I enjoyed this! For me personally, YA horror as a genre can be very hit-or-miss, often feeling too superficial or "twee". But Lonely Places really nails that sweet spot, where young adult explores genuinely deep themes whilst keeping that focus more on "coming-of-age".

One of the selling points here is that it feels more like the horror elements (a giant, single-organism forest called Pando which actually does exist) are used as a vehicle to explore the much meatier relationships between our protagonist Chase and her family. There's parentification, there's bone-deep guilt, there's the desperate desire for stability and normality. I understood why Chase does what she does, and that simple facet helps really immerse you.

I did feel at times that the speculative elements came across a little... thin or coincidental. Conveniently the explanations for these unexplained phenomena were always only one or two characters away. And the impact of Pando never quite reached the heights I thought it would. But otherwise, it was sufficiently creepy.

This is a strong 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for me! A great read for fans who are looking for YA Horror is is maybe lighter on the horror but tackles some really well-constructed relationships. Thank you to NetGalley and Flux for this ARC in exchange for a review

[Renee Godding · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 4.5/5 stars

"The bones had grown into the roots and the roots had grown into the bones… And Guthrie had gathered bones from the dirt like wildflowers.”

The Story:
16-year-old Chase has never known what it’s like to “have roots” in a place. Newly moved into the remote lookout-tower in the Pando-woods after having spent 8 years traveling the country in a converted school-bus, Chase is glad to stay in a single place for more than a few months. Perhaps the stability of a place to call home will help her family recover from the trauma of *that night*; the one that originally sent her parents on the road and rendered her younger sister selectively mute.
When Chase gets a job at the local summer camp and befriends her fellow-camp-counselor Wilder, she learns her family isn’t the only one carrying secrets. Strange events have been happening in the wilds around Pando and Chase and Wilder embark on a quest for answers, in the hopes of saving both their families.

What I liked:
The Lonely Places exceeded all my expectations and made for one of my favourite YA-reads of the year. It strikes that perfect balance between heavier themes of mental-health, trauma and grief, slight eeriness and horror-vibes, and a strange feeling of nostalgia that belongs in liminal spaces. The author does a fantastic job bringing mystical woods of Pando (which are a real place that are now on my bucket-list to visit…) and the small town of Boone to life to the point where the atmosphere oozes off the page and I felt myself completely transported there.
What originally seems like two separate mysteries (the story of the strange events and disappearances in Boone, and the history of our central family) are beautifully intertwined and the central metaphor that connects them is a powerful one.
From a grief/trauma-representation perspective, this was really well done. The topics are approached in a sensitive and compassionate way and I loved the emphasis on healing together as a family from a shared trauma. All characters are flawed, and all grow throughout the book, but they truly feel like they care for each other from beginning to end. I especially love the dynamic between Guthrie and Chase, which is far from ideal (acknowledged on page!) but so relatable and true.

What I didn’t like:
The very first mysteries that’s introduced (the one relating to a disappearance that happened in Pando before), never gets a true resolution. Although I’m not the type of reader who needs every question answered, this mystery was so central to the plot that it did feel a little unsatisfactory.
When it comes to the trauma-representation, I have a single personal gripe with the language, which is entirely personal to me. I personally dislike “therapy-speak” from characters (or authors!) who have no background in psychology or therapy. It feels disingenuous, quasi-professional and misplaced. This book fell into that a couple of times. Phrases like “unpacking your trauma” don’t belong in a conversation between16-year olds and lose a lot of their meaning when they’re overused. Again, this is quite a niche gripe I have, so do take it with a grain of salt.
Overall a novel I’d highly recommend, especially as a transitional read from late-summer into early autumn.

Many thanks to North Star for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

2.5 stars.

I’ll start off by saying this book was very atmospheric and the descriptions of the setting was very good. I could picture exactly what the author was talking about. It’s a great book to read in the fall. The woods were very terrifying.

I could see people really liking this, but it just was not for me.

Personally I think it spent too much time focusing on building the relationship dynamics between the characters, which is kind of crazy for me to say because usually I am character driven while reading.

Since this was a horror novel I was expecting most of the moments to be eerie and scary with Chase trying to figure out what was going on. And there were a lot of moments like that, but most of the other times it was just her hanging out with Wilder or taking a trip into town or goofing off with friends. I did not care for those moments, and that really dragged for me. I didn’t care about their relationship. I just wanted the horror aspects.

I know it was told in the summary there would be a romance, but I wasn’t a fan of it so I didn’t think it needed to be in there.

The relationship wasn’t really fleshed out either. We were told Wilder and Chase spent a lot of time together, but didn’t really see them interact a ton and suddenly they were in love. The attraction between the two of them was there, but it wasn’t built up enough for me to root for them.

I liked Willow and Sasha a lot from what we saw of them, but they were in and out of the story. I think I’d much rather see them form a friend group than focus on the romance. I just didn’t find it believable.

I’m also not a huge fan of books where you don’t know if there is actual magic happening or if it’s just in the character’s imagination. That was a big problem I had with “A Lesson in Vengeance.” I spent a lot of this book being like please let this be an actual horror novel where these things are happening and it’s not just the characters imagining it. I wish it was more clear cut earlier on which it would be.

The parents pissed me off so much. I was actually getting very angry any time they were negligent. I know they are supposed to make you angry, but I couldn’t stand it. It was infuriating to read. Which I guess that is good story telling that it made me that mad, but it was more annoying than anything.

Even Wilder frustrated me at times. I understand where he was coming from with his dad, but still to keep making Chase seem like she is crazy is not the move.

So many weird and creepy things happened and everyone other than Chase was like “yeah that was weird, but I’m sure it’s nothing” and I’m like what is going on?? You see that right in front of your eyes and you just ignore it? I know that was partially the case to keep the story going, but it goes back to I think this just didn’t work for me.

There were aspects of this story I liked, but at the end of the day there was a lot I would have changed, so I had a harder time getting through it.

[Stormborn Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Where do I start? I received this book as an ARC via NetGallery, and I can’t hide my excitement about being selected.

The book tells the story of two sisters: sixteen-year-old Chase and her little sister Guthrie, who has lost her speech after a traumatic episode in the woods.

Their family moves to an isolated fire lookout in Pando, and it is there where things start to get very dark and weird.

While reading, I had a constant sensation that the main character and her family were being watched by something in the woods surrounding the lookout, and this feeling never left me until the very end.

The story addresses important and sensitive themes, such as PTSD and the acceptance that not everything is under our control. Sometimes, we need to let go of our past to fully move on and find happiness.

I loved how the story was a nice mix of many elements: the relationship between sisters, a family struggling with their past, and first teenage loves. All of this is perfectly blended with the never-ending feeling that something is about to happen.

I highly recommend reading "Lonely Places" if you enjoy psychological horror narratives as much as I do.

Tropes of "Lonely Places" are:
- Something is always watching
- Unresolved matters
- Friends to Lovers
- Healing Journey
- Sisters Relationship

[Abbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this arc!

I really enjoyed this book. Lonely Places is a beautiful, eerie story that reads like a modern day dark fairy tale, while exploring the far-reaching effects of trauma and the frustrating, wonderful mess that is family relationships.

Teenager Chase does not want to go live at a fire look-out deep in the woods; her little sister Guthrie was almost lost in another forest recently, traumatizing her so deeply she hasn’t spoken a word since. After her family moves into the look-out, Chase makes it her personal mission to make sure Guthrie stays safe in the woods surrounding their new home. But these woods are not normal; animals behave strangely, the trees seem to have faces and eyes, and there are too many bones everywhere. The forest seems to have a dark influence over Guthrie, and soon Chase realizes that she may be in a fight with something bigger than nature for her sister.

Lonely Places is very well written, with excellent character building and a story that draws the reader in right away. It deals with some heavy themes gently but clearly, which is not easy to do. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy dark fairy tales, creepy forests, and books that explore themes of trauma and family relationships. I really enjoyed Lonely Places, and would love to read more stories from this author!

[Danielle Bush · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the first page, I knew this one would be a winner. It was atmospheric and creepy, and I loved the woodland setting.
I enjoyed Chase as our MC, and I loved her friends and little sister Guthrie.
Chase's relationship with her parents is strained, they love the van life, and all Chase wants is to settle down and have roots. She also wants Guthrie to get help. She has gone through something traumatic in a wooded area and since it happened she hasn't spoken one word to her family,

Now Chase and her family are moving to a fire lookout in Pando.. in the middle of the forest, which doesn't seem like the right place for a little girl who was traumatized in .the .woods. Weird things start happening. really almost from the moment they arrived and Guthrie seems to be at the center of it. Chase is already worried about her sister, and this just sets off her protective instincts even more. '

This kept me on the edge of my seat and completely immersed in the story from beginning to end. I will absolutely read more by this author.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lonely Places follows 17-year-old Chase and her family as they settle for the first time in nine years. Chase has pushed her family to settle in one place following an incident that left her 10-year-old sister Gutherie traumatized. Now they are set to live in an old fire watch tower in Pando Aspen Grove. Chase finds work at a nearby summer camp and begins to realize there may be more to the grove and her new home, the watch tower. At the same time Gutherie has begun to speak for the first time since the incident, but her conversations are limited to an old tree that appears to have a face, and now she has taken to collecting bones. Bones that seem to be in abundance near their new home.

This book provides a summery atmosphere with a spooky spin. The Pando Aspen Grove takes on a personality that will leave you feeling uneasy. Although there is a scary element to the novel, it is not an overbearing one for those who are not frequent readers of horror.
I really enjoyed following Chase’s character development; she embodies the spirit of the older sister perfectly. The setting of the story adds a further challenge to her growth but does not inhibit it. This novel explores navigating shared and other people’s trauma in a digestible format. I found myself highlighting different passages that made me think critically in the way I have approached other people’s trauma and how I view community.

[Starr ❇✌❇ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.6
*Review to come*

[Signe Guldager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, North Star Edition, Flux and the author for an e-ARC for my honest review.

Chase and her family have been living in a converted school bus for nine years across the USA. After a traumatic experience six months ago, her parents decide to settle down for a year in Pando where they will be living at a fire lookout to give the family some much needed stability. Chase and her sister, Guthrie (Gus) have always had a very close relationship but after “that night” 6 months ago Gus has stopped talking and Chase has become more protective of her.
Soon after arriving at the lookout Gus starts talking to trees, finding bones and even though her parents think she’s slowly become herself again, Chase senses and observes that something is terribly wrong. This place is not making Gus become herself again. This place is something that changes Gus and everyone who visits the woods completely. This is a place where birds sing in loops and bones sprout like mushrooms and you start seeing things that aren’t really there - or are they?

Lonely Places is a YA fiction/horror with a psychological plot. It’s a slow burn and it keeps its readers guessing of what comes next. It gives off dark and eerie vibes and you get the feeling that someone is always watching. These Aspen trees are creepy. Actually the whole forest is super creepy.

The book touches upon trauma, healing, family, love, guilt and relationships. The whole book is based on traumas in different forms: buried traumas, childhood traumas, family traumas and new traumas. All of the themes are linked and it’s intriguing to read how all details in the book are connected and how the story unfolds.

The characters are very believable and and I really enjoyed how Chase’s character develops throughout the book. She acts as a third parent for Gus but gradually that changes and she starts to live her life as a teenager with a new job, having friends and a boyfriend. Her relationship with Wilder is very sweet and turns out to be life changing for her. The family dynamic and the change in it is captivating and honest, and their healing as a family is beautiful.

Lonely Places is very well written and I really enjoyed it! I will never ever visit Pando after reading it 😅 but I will definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes suspense, eerie and dark vibes, YA and psychological plots and twists.

I was hoping for more insight about “that night” and I would really have liked to hear more about “The Lonely Place”. I could read a whole book just about that place. Please make that happen, Kate! The book ended way too fast 🤍

[user7878787892 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lonely Places is about a teenage girl, Chase, who moves with her family to a fire lookout, after a traumatic incident involving her younger sister, Guthrie. Her family has been on the move constantly for years, but all Chase wants is to go back to the town where she grew up. Chase gets a job at the nearby summer camp, where she starts hearing unsettling things about the lookout. At the camp she meets Wilder, who works as a lifeguard, and they quickly become close. But as Chase starts to spend more and more time with Wilder, she spends less and less with her younger sister, who has been acting strangely ever since they arrived. Chase has to try and protect her sister against all the strange occurrences that have been happening, until she suddenly disappears.

The thing I enjoyed most about this book was the setting, I really felt as if I were there myself, I had no trouble conjuring a picture in my minds eye and it made reading this book much more enjoyable for me. I haven't read this genre before, and although I enjoyed this book and I can definitely see how this could be an amazing read for others, it just didn't quite draw me in the way I had hoped it would. That being said I would say it's a good recommendation for horror fans!

Many thanks to Net Galley and North Star Editions for this opportunity to read and review this ARC!

[BookLovingEll · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all I want to thank Net Galley and North Star Editions for an ARC of this book to read and review.

I really liked the book, it's slow paced but not in a bad way. The author did a great thing by keeping a slow pace and still making sure there was tension.

Obviously I like the idea of 'the lonely places' being a trauma warrior myself. The inner battle of Chase is depicted very well from a teenager's point of view. The themes of trauma-romance-friendship are well-combined in the book.

What I'm missing is more insight in Guthrie's memory and feelings of what happened 'that night'.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Lonely Places" by Kate Anderson is a slowburn about trauma, grief, liminal spaces, and healing. This atmospheric novel sets the tone for a story that uses themes of loneliness and isolation to build on the tension that keeps on winding tighter and tighter throughout the narrative.

Chase and her family move to an isolated lookout in Pando after a traumatic experience that left Chase's younger sister Guthrie mute. The place is meant to provide stability and the opportunity to grow and heal in a way they couldn't while travelling the country in a converted school bus. But all Chase yearns for is the home they left eight years ago.

Forced to adapt to her new home, Chase gets a summer job at the local camp. When the counsellors find out where she lives, they say something bad happened at the lookout years ago, something they aren't willing to talk about. On top of that, strange things keep happening in the woods, inexplicable things. Birds singing on a loop and bones sprouting from the ground like weeds. Worst of all, the weirdness going on in Pando is affecting Guthrie, and Chase doesn't know if that's a good thing or bad thing ... or if she should stop it. The more time she spends at camp and getting closer to one of the guys, Wilder, the less time she spends hovering over Guthrie. For once she feels like a normal teenager ... until Guthrie gets lost in the woods. Chase has to confront her childhood trauma to save her sister or else Guthrie will be lost forever.

"Lonely Places" is so suspenseful and eerie that it's easy to get lost in the pages and make friends with the characters. Not to mention the writing style is phenomenal. This is one of those books where passage after passage is highlighted because the imagery and details are so vivid and evocative that they strike an emotional chord or sucker punch you in the gut.

Anderson also knows how to create a cast of characters who have believable and convincing flaws. They're relatable and that makes them characters worth getting to know and follow along as they traverse this eerie and strange town. It also means getting annoyed with them when they make decisions that are frustrating or seem "wrong," knowing we've all been there and have made mistakes we later regret.

I also liked how themes of trauma and learning how to heal are mixed with a creepy, horror-type setting where a lot of bizarre and bad things happen. It has an interesting parallel that makes sense given the context and adds a lot of depth to the story itself. There's definitely an important message to take away from it, one that inspires hope and forgiveness.

I can't wait to read more books by this author! I was blown away by the depth and style of Anderson's writing and will be looking for more books by them in the future. "Lonely Places" by Kate Anderson is expected to be published on October 29, 20204.

Thank you to NetGalley and North Star Editions (Flux) for a copy of the e-arc and the opportunity to share my honest opinion in this review!

[Karen Siddall · Rating 4 out of 5]

An atmospheric setting, creepy plot, and guilt combine for a satisfying young adult tale of psychological terror.

Lonely Places is a new young adult psychological horror story by author Kate Anderson, and its rich, evocative setting will have readers jumping in their seats at every unidentified noise. The young protagonist is realistically portrayed, and many readers will easily relate to her and her feelings, effectively edging up the engagement in this absorbing tale.

Chase Woolf is the older sister and narrator of the story. Soon to turn 18, she’s desperately unhappy with her father’s choice of the family’s vagabond lifestyle. She longs for a stable, traditional home, specifically the one from her childhood memories in Boone, North Carolina, where they lived down the street from her paternal grandparents until their deaths. Instead, her father has committed the family to living at a remote fire lookout station for a year. Her goal is to make enough money over the summer and upcoming school year to escape her current life, as well as the guilt she bears for leaving her much younger sister, Gus, behind in the woods at her family’s campsite six months earlier and the young girl’s resulting trauma. Lost for hours, when the family finally found Gus, she was tear-streaked and terrified and hadn’t spoken a word since, except to mumble to herself and now the trees that surround the fire lookout station their father has brought them to for the coming year.

The setting in remote Utah in the middle of the Pando Aspen Grove, a real location, is vivid and creepy and plays a main role in the unfolding tale. The slow reveal of past issues at the fire lookout station are eerie twists that serve to intensify the growing suspense as Chase watches her younger sister start to change for the worse. As a parent, I wanted to shake the girls’ parents; both of these girls needed more help than a change of scenery or just ignoring it could provide. In addition to the unique and compelling mysteries of what was going on at Pando, there is the start of a normal romance for Chase at the nearby summer camp.

The author’s easy-to-read writing style, evocative setting, vulnerable protagonists, and slowly simmering suspense of the story kept me interested and invested from start to finish. I recommend LONELY PLACES to readers of young adult psychological horror and thrillers.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy through TBR and Beyond Book Tours.

[Joanne Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lonely Places by Kate Anderson is a haunting, atmospheric tale that blends folk horror with a powerful exploration of trauma, family, and resilience. Following sixteen-year-old Chase and her family as they settle into an isolated fire lookout in Pando—an eerie grove of interconnected Aspen trees—the novel quickly immerses readers in an unsettling world where nature itself seems both beautiful and menacing. Anderson captures the setting with chilling detail, creating a sinister forest where birds sing in haunting loops, and bones inexplicably sprout from the ground, setting the stage for the story’s eerie mysteries.

At the heart of Lonely Places lies Chase’s relationship with her younger sister Guthrie, whose traumatic experience has left her silent, yet seemingly more attuned to the forest’s strange pull. Anderson masterfully explores the tension between Chase’s fierce protectiveness over Guthrie and her need for independence, heightened by her connection with Wilder, a camp lifeguard who offers her a glimpse of normalcy. This pull between her family’s demands and the desire to escape is deeply relatable, especially for teens dealing with trauma and change, and Anderson handles these themes with nuance and empathy.

The book’s folk horror elements are woven seamlessly into the psychological landscape, with the forest serving as both a literal and symbolic mirror of Chase’s fears and unresolved pain. As Pando draws Guthrie deeper into its thrall, Chase is forced to confront her own buried traumas and the ghosts of her past. Anderson’s portrayal of grief and healing feels both raw and authentic, adding emotional depth to the story’s suspenseful undercurrent.

Lonely Places is an unforgettable YA novel that combines the dark allure of folk horror with a compassionate look at family bonds, trauma, and the ways we find strength in the face of fear. Anderson’s writing is lush and evocative, capturing both the beauty and terror of the natural world. This is a compelling, eerie read for fans of horror, mystery, and emotionally rich storytelling.

[z ༄ · Rating 5 out of 5]

[4.75/5]

My mind is so numb and broken after reading this (in a good way!!!)

This is full of family trauma, nature, vortexes, and just everything creepy. It’s almost frustrating in a way, the way the characters interact with one another (specifically Chase and her parents), but when you find out all that has happened to make them that way, you understand.

After Chase’ sister Guthrie goes missing in the woods, and comes back with her voice gone, and her essence gone basically as well, the family moves to a lookout in Pando.

However, there’s a negative vortex there and things from the past that come back to haunt them. And knotholes!!! It’s eery. It’s chilling. It makes goosebumps rise on your skin.

They are a traveling family, their van/bus/home known as a skoolie. Ever since her grandparents died when they were little, Chase has longed to go back to Boone, where they lived since that’s the only place she felt like was home.

I really enjoyed this storyline and felt like I could relate to Chase, even as someone who has lived in the same house, town, and state my whole life.

The chapters were short, and packed a punch which i really enjoyed. I liked the tiny bit of romance that we got from Chase and Wilder. I thought it was great that Chase was able to find a home in someONE rather than someTHING and that she had someone to lean on during the absolute rollercoaster that was this book.

I’m really satisfied with the ending and how everything turned out. I wish nothing but the best for this family and how they will move forward/are moving forward.

This has a much darker vibe to it than Kate’s’ debut “Here Lies Olive” but I really enjoyed it. The psychological/realistic fiction of it all. It really makes me want to visit Pando IRL (since it actually exists!!)

Thank you to Flux Books and NetGalley for the ARC . All opinions are my own.

tws/cws: (graphic) death, grief, death of parent, and fire/fire injury (moderate) mental illness, gaslighting, and abandonment (minor) cursing and sexual content

[A Mac · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating 3.5

Chase and her family have been on the move for most of her life, living in a bus converted to a camper. But after a traumatic experience causes her younger sister to lose her voice, the family moves to an isolated fire tower in the middle of a national forest. Chase, frustrated with herself and her family, finds a job at a nearby summer camp, and begins to learn that their new home has a tragic past. But when things become increasingly odd at home and the forest grows even more eerie, Chase begins to wonder if moving here may cause her family’s trauma to become even worse.

The author did an excellent job incorporating the atmosphere and the setting throughout the entire book. Something I’ve noticed recently is that many new publications will start off strongly incorporating setting/atmosphere then let it drop about a quarter of the way through, which weakens the feel of the read immensely. But with this one, the setting, eeriness, and emptiness of it all were woven through the story from beginning to end, maintaining a strong atmosphere. The plot did move a little slowly with this one (it was almost 75% through before The Big Thing happened), but I enjoyed the buildup getting there.

The characters were relatively strong. I enjoyed the tension and conflict that existed in the family relationships and how that colored their decision making. It did get a little repetitive at times when it came to their arguments/discussions since they wouldn’t listen to each other and kept having the same discussions over and over. There was of course insta-love in this work, but thankfully it was less dramatic than the way many YA author’s write it and the romance was also more of a background thing, so it didn’t detract too much from the work.

If you’re looking for a slower YA read with strong atmosphere that explores family, community, and guilt, then this is worth checking out. My thanks to NetGalley and North Star Editions for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a modern nomadic family trades life on the road in their converted school bus (or "skoolie") for a bit more stability living in an old converted fire lookout tower in Pando Aspen Grove - the largest and heaviest known single organism on earth as well as the planet's largest tree, with over 40,000 trunks all interconnected by a vast communal root system - they find that their shared traumatic experiences are perhaps not as healed and resolved as they once thought. In spite of the tentative roots that college-bound older daughter Chase begins putting down as she gets to know their new home, there is something sinister at work within Pando's many knots and branches that may threaten the entire family... and it has its sights set on Chase's silent, ten-year-old sister Guthrie.

The atmosphere and imagery in this book are beautifully done. The first few opening paragraphs set an amazing tone, and it carries on throughout the novel. It's easy (for me, at least) to identify with both girls: big sister Chase, protective and a bit self-flagellating, as well as younger sister Guthrie, the strange little girlcreature who collects bones and talks to trees. I appreciated the ways that the themes of independence and community were explored as the story drew on, including the reminder that "home" is often more the people than the place.

YA horror can be a tough genre line to toe, but the slow burn and creeping, mounting strangeness of Lonely Places gets it pretty much perfect. There's mystery, there's atmosphere, there's the fear of the unknown, and it all pairs beautifully (painfully) with the effects of Guthrie's own recent traumatic experience in another wood - one that she and her family are still grappling with the effects of.

If you're looking for more creepy atmospheric and dreamlike psychological scares than blood and gore, then this is the read for you. Many thanks to Flux and NetGalley for this ARC and the chance to share my thoughts!

[Momo · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Lonely Places" dives deep into the eerie and haunting mysteries of Pando Aspen Grove, taking readers on a journey through trauma and supernatural suspense. The story follows Chase and her family, who settle in a Fire Lookout Tower after a harrowing incident involving her younger sister, Guthrie.

Chase, the older sister trying to hold her family together, is drawn into the unsettling atmosphere of Pando. Her sister, traumatized into silence since a terrifying night in the woods, starts communicating with an old tree and collecting bones—an eerie obsession that mirrors the unsettling aura of the forest.

What really hooked me about this book is how the author crafted Pando as a character itself. The grove feels alive with unease and mystery, adding a layer of suspense that kept me eagerly turning pages. Chase's character development is also beautifully handled as she navigates guilt and tries to protect her sister from the eerie forces at play.

While it's not heavy on gore, "Lonely Places" builds tension through eerie encounters and the psychological unraveling of its characters. It's more about the creeping dread and the emotional impact of past traumas than jump scares, which I found refreshing in a horror novel.

I loved how the story integrates local folklore and the setting of Boone, NC, which added depth and made the atmosphere even more immersive. However, I wished for a bit more exploration of the Lonely Places themselves and a deeper dive into Guthrie's initial encounter, which felt like it left me hanging a bit.

Overall, "Lonely Places" is a haunting summer read that blends psychological depth with supernatural suspense. It's perfect for anyone who enjoys atmospheric horror and wants a story that lingers long after you finish the last page.

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creepy.family.trauma Lonely Places set to publish October 29, 2024

We follow a family who converted a bus to a home and travel the country until a life altering event happens. They lose their youngest child in the woods. The story is mysterious and illusive as to what all happened in this moment of time. We fast forward to 6 months after this event when the family decides to take 'refuge' and build stability for their family after the event with their daughter.

While living in a lookout tower in a new town, oddities start occurring in this new forest. This story is told from 17 year old Chase and her thoughts on the lifestyle. Immediately their is tension within the family on the decisions being made. I feel for Chase and after her sister is left mute (from the trauma of the event in the woods). Chase feels guilt and pressure to maintain control over her sister.

The pace of this book was good, Chase felt real and I was happy to see that she was such a strong voice in the story with sharing her opinion and discomfort of the situation. She really cares for her sister and we see a lot of character growth with her throughout the story.

The parents to me were just bleh, the dad was extremely annoying to me. Self-centered and very out of the picture.

While this story was very slice of life (I was invested)in Chase's outcome and what would come of Guthrie aka Gus. Would she ever recover. As the story unfolded it definately came together more and I appreciate the overall message of this story and how trauma can effect each and every one of us. The pain and trauma was visceral or what all this poor family has had to overcome.

Thank you to Netgalley and North Star Editions | Flux for the ARC copy for my honest review.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written young adult horror story about the lengths people will go to in order to outrun themselves and their trauma.

Chase is an older sister who takes on too much, especially ever since her younger sister, Gus, got lost in the woods and came out voiceless and mute. While Chase's parents pursue their nomadic dreams, Chase longs and craves for stability; a place to call home, a community she can be known in.

When her dad gets a job at a fire lookout tower, the family moves to a small town, into the cramped tower overlooking the grove of Aspen trees, with their thick roots and gnarled knots, as though they have eyes. Chase can't help but feel a heavy presence in the woods, but all her family sees is the joys of nature. It isn't long before she learns about the bones of a missing girl that were found in the trees near the lookout, interwoven with the roots.

Chase is committed to getting a job to save to college to move back to their hometown that they left when she was young, but to do so would mean trusting that her parents will watch Gus to make sure she doesn't disappear again. As Gus starts wandering more and whispering to the trees, Chase's unease only deepens as the mystery of the forest unfolds.

A wonderfully atmospheric, eerie read that burns slow. There are some questions that seemed overlooked by the end, and I would have loved to have more time understanding the nuances of the forest's powers and how it interplayed with the missing girl. Ultimately this is a story about facing trauma, and I suppose it stands to reason, sometimes trauma traps you indefinitely and the questions of it never do get answered.