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The Soil is Calling
There’s something in the swamp outside Harlsboro, Georgia.
Becca sensed it as soon as she crossed back over the county line: a heaviness in the air—and not just the humidity. She tells herself it’s nothing and that she’ll only be there long enough to help her mother get back on her feet after a venomous snakebite. Then Becca can go back to her life up north and forget about her small, podunk hometown. But the longer she stays in Harlsboro, the more she feels herself start to unravel. Visions of her daughter, who’s been missing for five years, haunt her by day, and an incessant scratching sound keeps her up at night.
As Becca digs for answers, she only finds more questions. Like why does her mother keep trying to run away into the swamp? Who is behind the recent string of grisly murders, and why does the sheriff refuse to investigate them? What does her cousin mean when he says the land is cursed?
Whatever’s plaguing the town, it already has Becca’s family in its clutches. Now it wants her too.
Becca sensed it as soon as she crossed back over the county line: a heaviness in the air—and not just the humidity. She tells herself it’s nothing and that she’ll only be there long enough to help her mother get back on her feet after a venomous snakebite. Then Becca can go back to her life up north and forget about her small, podunk hometown. But the longer she stays in Harlsboro, the more she feels herself start to unravel. Visions of her daughter, who’s been missing for five years, haunt her by day, and an incessant scratching sound keeps her up at night.
As Becca digs for answers, she only finds more questions. Like why does her mother keep trying to run away into the swamp? Who is behind the recent string of grisly murders, and why does the sheriff refuse to investigate them? What does her cousin mean when he says the land is cursed?
Whatever’s plaguing the town, it already has Becca’s family in its clutches. Now it wants her too.
- GenresHorror
242 pages, Paperback
Published January 24, 2026
11 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
C.P. Bearden
1 book11 followersC. P. Bearden is a musician, poet, and author of horror and dark speculative fiction. He lives in a small town in Georgia where he roams the woods and back roads, searching for new scary things to write about.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
January 13, 2026
I did not want to put this book down!
Becca is called back to her small southern hometown after her estranged mother ends up in the hospital from a snake bite. Some strange things start unfolding, and she quickly realizes something is not right. Something sinister is going on Becca is a woman who has pretty much lost everything, and she’s determined to find out what is going on even if she is in danger. By the last few chapters I didn’t know who to trust and was on the edge of my seat.
I enjoyed the eerie atmosphere, the lingering sense of dread, and the description of the woods and the swamp. There were a couple scenes taking place in the book that actually frightened me and gave me goosebumps!
The descriptions of the preacher, the church, and funeral all brought back memories of what it was like growing up with my grandmother and being practically forced to go to a Southern Baptist Church as a child/teenager. The representation of the small southern town was all so familiar to me and is depicted accurately.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers with supernatural horror elements set in small southern towns, this will be perfect for you! As always, check the trigger warnings before reading if you need to.
Thanks to BookSirens and C.P. Bearden, and Conquest Publishing for the free arc in exchange for my honest review.
Becca is called back to her small southern hometown after her estranged mother ends up in the hospital from a snake bite. Some strange things start unfolding, and she quickly realizes something is not right. Something sinister is going on Becca is a woman who has pretty much lost everything, and she’s determined to find out what is going on even if she is in danger. By the last few chapters I didn’t know who to trust and was on the edge of my seat.
I enjoyed the eerie atmosphere, the lingering sense of dread, and the description of the woods and the swamp. There were a couple scenes taking place in the book that actually frightened me and gave me goosebumps!
The descriptions of the preacher, the church, and funeral all brought back memories of what it was like growing up with my grandmother and being practically forced to go to a Southern Baptist Church as a child/teenager. The representation of the small southern town was all so familiar to me and is depicted accurately.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers with supernatural horror elements set in small southern towns, this will be perfect for you! As always, check the trigger warnings before reading if you need to.
Thanks to BookSirens and C.P. Bearden, and Conquest Publishing for the free arc in exchange for my honest review.
January 19, 2026
Have you ever read a book that triggers your senses so vividly you can hear the crickets, feel the wind in the trees, and smell the swamp?
The Soil Is Calling delivers all that and so much more.
In this book, we follow Becca, who returns to her hometown to help her estranged mother after she’s bitten by a venomous snake.
It’s already hard enough to go back to the place she once ran from, the place that never held happy memories.
Now Becca must deal with her mother acting in a very way, visions of her missing daughter, and a town where people vanish and no one can be trusted.
Needless to say that The Soil Is Calling definitely packs a punch.
You quickly become invested in a story where grief lingers, fear lurks, and the supernatural gives way to very real monsters.
…also, snakes make me deeply uncomfortable, so it was impossible not to shiver while reading.
So if you’re after an eerie, unsettling story where nature takes over, you should definitely pick this one up.
I’d like to thank CP for the ARC copy. This is an excellent debut with a very solid story, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
This review and more here:
Instagram | Tiktok | Youtube
The Soil Is Calling delivers all that and so much more.
In this book, we follow Becca, who returns to her hometown to help her estranged mother after she’s bitten by a venomous snake.
It’s already hard enough to go back to the place she once ran from, the place that never held happy memories.
Now Becca must deal with her mother acting in a very way, visions of her missing daughter, and a town where people vanish and no one can be trusted.
Needless to say that The Soil Is Calling definitely packs a punch.
You quickly become invested in a story where grief lingers, fear lurks, and the supernatural gives way to very real monsters.
…also, snakes make me deeply uncomfortable, so it was impossible not to shiver while reading.
So if you’re after an eerie, unsettling story where nature takes over, you should definitely pick this one up.
I’d like to thank CP for the ARC copy. This is an excellent debut with a very solid story, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
This review and more here:
Instagram | Tiktok | Youtube
November 15, 2025
This book was jam packed with alllll of the goodness! Grief, family drama, small town, questionable cops, cults. CP Bearden knows how to give such depth to his characters. He knows how to paint vividly atmospheric pictures for your brain while you explore the scenes of the story. He is really good at deep diving into the complexities that come with horror books and it was really cool to see all of that brought to life in his own story. I can’t wait to see what else he comes up with.. what a gem he is to the horror community! Thank you for the ARC read, CP! Consider me a permanent reader for you.. I am absolutely here for it 👏👏👏
January 27, 2026
4⭐️ It was so easy to get lost in this book because the imagery was fantastic. It’s a story in which the town feels dangerous and ominous and the folks in it aren’t much comfort. It kept me on my toes and I appreciated that the FMC made smart choices and actually acted instead of just sitting there waiting for something to happen.
Wha a strong debut!
Thanks to the author for the e-ARC of this book.
Wha a strong debut!
Thanks to the author for the e-ARC of this book.
November 25, 2025
I couldn’t set this book down, literally. This story blends murder mystery and horror which provides for a compelling and well paced narrative. The FMC shoulders the burden of grief, remorse, and regret and the author created enough space to give the reader time to connect with each self-defeating emotion.
The baleful atmosphere was effectively rendered to create the suffocating tension that underpins the entire story. Peppered with tender moments, this riveting read gives the reader something to cheer for. And in a world plagued by grief, remorse, and regret, we could all use a little cheer.
The baleful atmosphere was effectively rendered to create the suffocating tension that underpins the entire story. Peppered with tender moments, this riveting read gives the reader something to cheer for. And in a world plagued by grief, remorse, and regret, we could all use a little cheer.
November 17, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🙇♀️🐍 🙇♂️ 🩸 💀
Becca is alone. No friends. Divorced. Her daughter has been missing for 5 years. So maybe that’s why she’s so intent on going back to her childhood home to take care of her estranged mother. Normally, Becca doesn’t speak to her mother but when she learns that her mother has been bitten by a venomous snake she rushes back to her old home town. She is trepidatious, afraid of remembering too much and reliving old pain. And maybe she finds all of that but Becca finds old friends too,she finds her family, and the nagging feeling that something is wrong in Harlsboro. The woods feel wrong. The townspeople are going missing. The sheriff seems unconcerned. Becca knows she can’t be the only one seeing some kind of pattern.
This was “The Taking of Deborah Logan”, “The Boatman’s Daughter”, and “Hot Fuzz” (minus the comedy) all mixed together! It had great pacing and story flow. I was engaged the entire time and couldn’t wait to see what came next. The characters were very real as was the feelings of grief that accompanied the main character. I think this was a hell of a debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!
🙇♀️🐍 🙇♂️ 🩸 💀
Becca is alone. No friends. Divorced. Her daughter has been missing for 5 years. So maybe that’s why she’s so intent on going back to her childhood home to take care of her estranged mother. Normally, Becca doesn’t speak to her mother but when she learns that her mother has been bitten by a venomous snake she rushes back to her old home town. She is trepidatious, afraid of remembering too much and reliving old pain. And maybe she finds all of that but Becca finds old friends too,she finds her family, and the nagging feeling that something is wrong in Harlsboro. The woods feel wrong. The townspeople are going missing. The sheriff seems unconcerned. Becca knows she can’t be the only one seeing some kind of pattern.
This was “The Taking of Deborah Logan”, “The Boatman’s Daughter”, and “Hot Fuzz” (minus the comedy) all mixed together! It had great pacing and story flow. I was engaged the entire time and couldn’t wait to see what came next. The characters were very real as was the feelings of grief that accompanied the main character. I think this was a hell of a debut novel and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!
December 29, 2025
The Soil is Calling by CP Bearden is a long awaited book I have been wanting to get my hands on! I have had the pleasure of knowing this author through the booktok community and was so happy to get an ARC!
As a lover of all horror, I tend to enjoy many different tropes but I do have a special love of grief horror. This book is southern gothic vibes with some “this is definitely a cult” vibe and adds in a blanket of grief and familial trauma. There were many likable characters in this book and I enjoyed especially seeing the FMC, Becca, evolve along the way. Her potential love interest, Clay, was probably my favorite character. A sweet small town cop being a single father and just wanting to protect everyone, I could feel the southern charm seeping through the pages from him.
In this story you will get to see Becca continue to come to terms the best she can with the loss of her daughter who has been missing for many years. She goes back to her hometown to help her sick mother who got bit by a snake, and their relationship is tender and tumultuous. As the story progresses and she learns more about the cursed town and disappearances, she is getting deeply involved in trying to figure out who she can trust. There is a weird vibe and certain individuals in the town who are “off” and Becca will have to make decisions on how she can figure things out before she decides to say screw it and leave her cursed childhood hometown behind for good.
This book isn’t gory or over the top with thrills but there were parts that gave me the ick and left me wanting to peek over my shoulder to make sure that noise I heard wasn’t some sort of snake or supernatural creature behind me ready to sink its teeth into me. Again, what a heck of a debut from Bearden, I look forward to seeing what other ideas he turns into books next!
Happy reading. 🐍🩸🏠
As a lover of all horror, I tend to enjoy many different tropes but I do have a special love of grief horror. This book is southern gothic vibes with some “this is definitely a cult” vibe and adds in a blanket of grief and familial trauma. There were many likable characters in this book and I enjoyed especially seeing the FMC, Becca, evolve along the way. Her potential love interest, Clay, was probably my favorite character. A sweet small town cop being a single father and just wanting to protect everyone, I could feel the southern charm seeping through the pages from him.
In this story you will get to see Becca continue to come to terms the best she can with the loss of her daughter who has been missing for many years. She goes back to her hometown to help her sick mother who got bit by a snake, and their relationship is tender and tumultuous. As the story progresses and she learns more about the cursed town and disappearances, she is getting deeply involved in trying to figure out who she can trust. There is a weird vibe and certain individuals in the town who are “off” and Becca will have to make decisions on how she can figure things out before she decides to say screw it and leave her cursed childhood hometown behind for good.
This book isn’t gory or over the top with thrills but there were parts that gave me the ick and left me wanting to peek over my shoulder to make sure that noise I heard wasn’t some sort of snake or supernatural creature behind me ready to sink its teeth into me. Again, what a heck of a debut from Bearden, I look forward to seeing what other ideas he turns into books next!
Happy reading. 🐍🩸🏠
January 7, 2026
Becca, a mother mourning the sudden disappearance of her daughter five years ago, left her podunk hometown at age 18, with no plans to ever return. That is until she gets notified that her estranged mother has suffered a near lethal snakebite from an abnormally large cottonmouth.
When she gets to the hospital, her mother seems in decent spirits, anxious to get home and out of the stuffy hospital. The doctor urges her to stay, but Becca fights the good fight and gets her mother released into her care.
When they get back to her childhood home, memories of growing up in the town and in the house slowly crawl their way back in. The good… and the not so good. Her mother also finds the most insensitive ways to bring up her missing daughter, and she has no choice but to deal with that grief at full volume.
You see, Becca left her hometown to go up north mostly because of the influence her mother tried to force upon her. She was your standard emo kid, looking for rebellion, while her mother was a rampant and forceful lamb of god. No, not the band.
Anywho, one night while caring for her mother, Becca witnesses her making her way into the woods behind their house, in an uncanny, jig-like fashion, and this is obviously very weird, so she follows her until she loses the trail.
Following the disappearance of her mother is a buck wild descent into the real reason why her family and the Purvis family across the swamp had a history not unlike the Hatfields and Mccoys, just with less visible violence.
This was creepy, and dripping in the atmosphere of small town Georgia swamplands. You can feel the damp, the muck, and hear the peepers, the crickets, and those terrifying rattlers.
I am so glad I had the opportunity to read CP’s first full length novel, and I cannot wait to see where he goes from here.
When she gets to the hospital, her mother seems in decent spirits, anxious to get home and out of the stuffy hospital. The doctor urges her to stay, but Becca fights the good fight and gets her mother released into her care.
When they get back to her childhood home, memories of growing up in the town and in the house slowly crawl their way back in. The good… and the not so good. Her mother also finds the most insensitive ways to bring up her missing daughter, and she has no choice but to deal with that grief at full volume.
You see, Becca left her hometown to go up north mostly because of the influence her mother tried to force upon her. She was your standard emo kid, looking for rebellion, while her mother was a rampant and forceful lamb of god. No, not the band.
Anywho, one night while caring for her mother, Becca witnesses her making her way into the woods behind their house, in an uncanny, jig-like fashion, and this is obviously very weird, so she follows her until she loses the trail.
Following the disappearance of her mother is a buck wild descent into the real reason why her family and the Purvis family across the swamp had a history not unlike the Hatfields and Mccoys, just with less visible violence.
This was creepy, and dripping in the atmosphere of small town Georgia swamplands. You can feel the damp, the muck, and hear the peepers, the crickets, and those terrifying rattlers.
I am so glad I had the opportunity to read CP’s first full length novel, and I cannot wait to see where he goes from here.
January 28, 2026
I believe this is the author’s debut novel. But, he writes like he’s a seasoned author. Honestly, I’m impressed. And on a side note, I’ve never read a book by a male author that wrote so well from a female POV. Not stereotypically female, just female.
This is one of those books that could easily be turned into a popular Netflix series. Very well written, very engaging and a small town taste of community and supernatural horror.
This isn’t fast paced and wouldn’t work if it was. So, take a walk around town and get to know everyone. Like any small town, there are some sad stories, gossip that spreads quickly and you may even find a few buried secrets. Just stay off the Purvis’ property and watch out for any alligators or snakes.
4.25⭐️
This is one of those books that could easily be turned into a popular Netflix series. Very well written, very engaging and a small town taste of community and supernatural horror.
This isn’t fast paced and wouldn’t work if it was. So, take a walk around town and get to know everyone. Like any small town, there are some sad stories, gossip that spreads quickly and you may even find a few buried secrets. Just stay off the Purvis’ property and watch out for any alligators or snakes.
4.25⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow. This book is brilliant. The story is really unique and kept me intrigued. It has just the right amount of tension and suspense. Towards the end I wasn't sure if it would have a happy or tragic ending. A must read for horror fans. I can't believe this is a debit novel for the author.
January 30, 2026
This southern gothic horror has all the correct elements to creep you out while also increasing your anxiety little by little as the story goes on. It messed with my mind. It’s SO good and knowing this is a debut novel just blows my mind!
November 28, 2025
The Soil is Calling by C.P. Bearden
Oh my, I don’t even know where to begin. This story is dark, emotional, and deeply unnerving. Bearden writes in a way that lets you feel Becca’s grief and fear with every page.
Harlsboro, Georgia might look like your average small town, but something far more sinister is brewing beneath the surface. People are disappearing, the sheriff seems disturbingly unconcerned, and Becca knows something is very wrong. As she tries to uncover the town’s secrets, all while mourning everything she’s ever lost, the danger grows, but so does her determination. She needs to understand what’s happening to her hometown, no matter the cost.
Oh my, I don’t even know where to begin. This story is dark, emotional, and deeply unnerving. Bearden writes in a way that lets you feel Becca’s grief and fear with every page.
Harlsboro, Georgia might look like your average small town, but something far more sinister is brewing beneath the surface. People are disappearing, the sheriff seems disturbingly unconcerned, and Becca knows something is very wrong. As she tries to uncover the town’s secrets, all while mourning everything she’s ever lost, the danger grows, but so does her determination. She needs to understand what’s happening to her hometown, no matter the cost.
November 25, 2025
Thank you C.P. Bearden for letting me read an advanced copy!
I’m going to get straight to the point: I absolutely loved this book. From the moment I picked it up I couldn’t put it down. It was a rollercoaster of mystery, intrigue, emotion and anxiety that kept me hooked throughout.
Becca, the main character, was incredibly well written. I connected with her easily and empathised with her as she navigated the story’s events. Every character, from Becca to the others, had depth and added layers to the plot, making the overall impact the story had even greater.
I devoured the book in one sitting. Each page was a page turner and the chapters flowed seamlessly into one another. I also loved the unexpected direction the story took. It was a wild ride and I couldn't get enough of it!
This was a stunning debut novel and I know I’ll be constantly recommending it to everyone!
I’m going to get straight to the point: I absolutely loved this book. From the moment I picked it up I couldn’t put it down. It was a rollercoaster of mystery, intrigue, emotion and anxiety that kept me hooked throughout.
Becca, the main character, was incredibly well written. I connected with her easily and empathised with her as she navigated the story’s events. Every character, from Becca to the others, had depth and added layers to the plot, making the overall impact the story had even greater.
I devoured the book in one sitting. Each page was a page turner and the chapters flowed seamlessly into one another. I also loved the unexpected direction the story took. It was a wild ride and I couldn't get enough of it!
This was a stunning debut novel and I know I’ll be constantly recommending it to everyone!
November 11, 2025
4.5 stars
Thank you to the author, CP Bearden, for this arc copy of The Soil is Calling! This is a southern, gothic horror story and I very much enjoyed it!
It’s not often that I get genuinely nervous or scared reading a book but this one had me on edge and nervous to continue reading at night, but I had to keep reading! The writing was wonderful and I loved how developed the characters were even the ones I didn’t like.
I really liked Becca the FMC and her development throughout the book while also dealing with grief.
And Clay! He’s my man, the most solid character in this read, really loved his character. And a big F you to sheriff Warren!
Becca is our FMC. She’s moved away from her small town home in Harlsboro, Georgia and away from her toxic, god-fearing and emotionally abusive mother whom she’s also cut contact with. Until she gets a call that her mother is in hospital recovering from a nasty rattle snake bite. Despite how she feels she still feels an obligation to go home and help look after her until she’s recovered.
When she returns, she immediately feels something off and sinister in the air and constantly fights the voice in her head to run and go back home. Not only is she dealing with her mother, she’s still grieving the disappearance of her daughter 5 years before. She also has her run ins with asshole neighbours trying to buy everyone’s land and an asshole town sheriff who clearly has something against her.
Aside from all that Becca feels someone, or something, watching her all the time, especially at night.
What’s in the swamp that’s making the hairs on the back of her neck stand? Why is her mother acting weird and always trying to run out not the swamp? What’s been killing and taking the residents of Harlsboro? In this creepy, suspenseful horror story, you can find all these answers.
Definitely a great read that I flew through and was hard to put down!
Thank you to the author, CP Bearden, for this arc copy of The Soil is Calling! This is a southern, gothic horror story and I very much enjoyed it!
It’s not often that I get genuinely nervous or scared reading a book but this one had me on edge and nervous to continue reading at night, but I had to keep reading! The writing was wonderful and I loved how developed the characters were even the ones I didn’t like.
I really liked Becca the FMC and her development throughout the book while also dealing with grief.
And Clay! He’s my man, the most solid character in this read, really loved his character. And a big F you to sheriff Warren!
Becca is our FMC. She’s moved away from her small town home in Harlsboro, Georgia and away from her toxic, god-fearing and emotionally abusive mother whom she’s also cut contact with. Until she gets a call that her mother is in hospital recovering from a nasty rattle snake bite. Despite how she feels she still feels an obligation to go home and help look after her until she’s recovered.
When she returns, she immediately feels something off and sinister in the air and constantly fights the voice in her head to run and go back home. Not only is she dealing with her mother, she’s still grieving the disappearance of her daughter 5 years before. She also has her run ins with asshole neighbours trying to buy everyone’s land and an asshole town sheriff who clearly has something against her.
Aside from all that Becca feels someone, or something, watching her all the time, especially at night.
What’s in the swamp that’s making the hairs on the back of her neck stand? Why is her mother acting weird and always trying to run out not the swamp? What’s been killing and taking the residents of Harlsboro? In this creepy, suspenseful horror story, you can find all these answers.
Definitely a great read that I flew through and was hard to put down!
November 26, 2025
9/10
This is an excellent debut novel that gave me real strong vibes of Grady Hendrix.
Our main character return home not long after the loss of her daughter, staying with her mother, the relationship is strained but things quickly get way worse.
Southern Horror, that if you don’t have a problem with snakes, you will after.
Thanks to CP for the review copy.
This is an excellent debut novel that gave me real strong vibes of Grady Hendrix.
Our main character return home not long after the loss of her daughter, staying with her mother, the relationship is strained but things quickly get way worse.
Southern Horror, that if you don’t have a problem with snakes, you will after.
Thanks to CP for the review copy.
November 10, 2025
Arc reader review.
Well well well.
Everything in this book was so very good. The writing was smooth, the characters were well developed, the descriptions made me see the swamp, hear the hiss, feel the humidity.
I was not expecting the turn the story took but I am not angry about it. I loved everything about it. Becca deserves the longest, biggest hug.
Well well well.
Everything in this book was so very good. The writing was smooth, the characters were well developed, the descriptions made me see the swamp, hear the hiss, feel the humidity.
I was not expecting the turn the story took but I am not angry about it. I loved everything about it. Becca deserves the longest, biggest hug.
November 9, 2025
Loved this Small town horror story. A well deserved 5 star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review of advance copy received from Storygraph
This story gave me real goose bumps! Literally chilling.
I appreciate that most of the characters are racially ambiguous, allowing readers to easily insert themselves in the story. I found that the complicated family dynamics and character building progressed naturally with the story making for an easy read with a dynamic plot.
Overall I found it unpredictable, exciting, and living up to the hype from other readers.
I've already recommended this book to fellow lovers of mysteries and thrillers.
This story would make an amazing movie!
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I appreciate that most of the characters are racially ambiguous, allowing readers to easily insert themselves in the story. I found that the complicated family dynamics and character building progressed naturally with the story making for an easy read with a dynamic plot.
Overall I found it unpredictable, exciting, and living up to the hype from other readers.
I've already recommended this book to fellow lovers of mysteries and thrillers.
This story would make an amazing movie!
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 7, 2025
BWAF Score: 6/10
TL;DR: Rural Georgia grief horror where the land feels hungry, the snakes feel organized, and family trauma is the real apex predator. This is a solid, emotionally grounded folk horror novel with some nasty set pieces and a great voice that occasionally spins its wheels and leans on familiar beats.
C.P. Bearden is coming at this through Conquest Publishing, and the book reads like someone who knows small-town Southern life in their bones and also kind of hates it. You can feel the personal itch in the details of Harlsboro, the church gossip, the way everyone knows your business, the claustrophobic weight of being from a “respected” family that still lives in a double-wide next to the woods. It is not some outsider gawking at the South, it is someone dragging their own ghosts back through red clay and kudzu and seeing what crawls out.
Our POV is Rebecca, a lapsed Southern girl who escaped to Pennsylvania, now dragged back home when her estranged, hyper-religious mother Nancy gets bitten by a massive cottonmouth. Becca arrives in Harlsboro already shattered by the unsolved disappearance of her daughter Millie and planning a short, guilt-fueled caregiving stint. Instead she walks into a stew of weirdness that feels older than any of the humans involved. Snakes are showing up where they should not. The soil and the woods carry this low, humming threat. The Purvis family owns basically everything, the sheriff is twitchy as hell about “private property,” and Becca’s own past is wired directly into whatever is coiling under the town. What she wants is simple: peace, closure, and a clean exit. What she gets is a slow realization that the land, the old stories, and the Jesus-flavored small-town power structure have other plans.
What really pops here is how Bearden weaponizes the mundane Southern shit you could easily scroll past in a Hallmark movie and twists it into horror. The early hospital scene with the Polaroids of the decapitated cottonmouth sets the tone beautifully. Later, the dead doe on the roadside that blurs into Millie in Becca’s grief-scrambled perception is just a vicious little emotional knife. The near miss in the grocery store parking lot with the not-Millie little girl hits in the same nerve cluster. When the book leans into those collision points where Becca’s trauma overlays the landscape like a bad AR filter, it fucking rips. The creeping ecological weirdness the booming snake population, the sense that the soil itself is in on something never fully tips over into corny monster-of-the-week territory, which I appreciated.
The voice carries a lot. Becca’s first person narration is conversational, bitterly funny, and full of little rage-spark asides that absolutely sell the vibe without turning her into a quipbot. Lines about Harlsboro being a soul-sucking shithole, the “everybody” her mom really worships, or the casual misogyny of the sheriff and Dr Blackwell all feel lived in. The scenes are usually grounded in sensory detail with sweat, humidity, the stink of roadkill, the clatter of old window units, and cheap soda in the hospital which helps the weirder beats land. This is very much a slow-burn first half with grief and family drama in the foreground and horror intrusions on the edges, then a faster, more ritual-heavy back end once the supernatural cards are on the table. That shift works, but some middle stretch scenes feel like they repeat the same emotional beat. Mom is manipulative and judgmental, Becca is triggered as shit by the house and the town without adding much new. The climax does the folk horror thing you are expecting, and while it is satisfying, it is also the place where you feel the “good but not exceptional” ceiling most clearly.
This is absolutely a book about grief and inherited rot. Millie’s absence is not just a tragic backstory, it is the gravity well the whole story orbits. Becca’s images of Millie bleeding into dead animals and strange children are a reminder that trauma does not stay politely in its lane, and Bearden ties that personal loss to a bigger question of what small towns bury to keep functioning. The mother-daughter stuff is appropriately messy. Nancy is not some cartoon Bible-thumper, she is petty and cruel and terrified in very human ways, and the horror takes a clear pleasure in linking her rigid religiosity to something literally poisonous growing in the ground. The soil, the snakes, the family line, the church gossip all function as one ecosystem. It leaves me thinking “the land remembers everything you let happen here, and it is tired of your shit.”
Amongst the folk horror scene, this is a contemporary rural grief novel that is less “prestige lit” than, say, a Laird Barron or a Priya Sharma collection, but a clear cut above the forgettable snake-on-the-cover pulp. I would put it in the “worth recommending to people who already like this flavor” tier next to the solid eco-sinister small press stuff, not in the year-end top ten but absolutely in the “oh you like swampy shit, you should check this out” conversation.
A strong, snake-haunted slice of Southern folk horror with a killer sense of place and some genuinely nasty emotional punches, held back by familiar moves and a few saggy stretches, but still very much worth your time if the soil is already calling your fucked up little heart.
Read if you love complicated, fucked up mother-daughter dynamics served with a side of church gossip and class resentment.
Skip if you hate internal monologue and do not want to live inside a traumatized narrator’s head for 250 pages.
TL;DR: Rural Georgia grief horror where the land feels hungry, the snakes feel organized, and family trauma is the real apex predator. This is a solid, emotionally grounded folk horror novel with some nasty set pieces and a great voice that occasionally spins its wheels and leans on familiar beats.
C.P. Bearden is coming at this through Conquest Publishing, and the book reads like someone who knows small-town Southern life in their bones and also kind of hates it. You can feel the personal itch in the details of Harlsboro, the church gossip, the way everyone knows your business, the claustrophobic weight of being from a “respected” family that still lives in a double-wide next to the woods. It is not some outsider gawking at the South, it is someone dragging their own ghosts back through red clay and kudzu and seeing what crawls out.
Our POV is Rebecca, a lapsed Southern girl who escaped to Pennsylvania, now dragged back home when her estranged, hyper-religious mother Nancy gets bitten by a massive cottonmouth. Becca arrives in Harlsboro already shattered by the unsolved disappearance of her daughter Millie and planning a short, guilt-fueled caregiving stint. Instead she walks into a stew of weirdness that feels older than any of the humans involved. Snakes are showing up where they should not. The soil and the woods carry this low, humming threat. The Purvis family owns basically everything, the sheriff is twitchy as hell about “private property,” and Becca’s own past is wired directly into whatever is coiling under the town. What she wants is simple: peace, closure, and a clean exit. What she gets is a slow realization that the land, the old stories, and the Jesus-flavored small-town power structure have other plans.
What really pops here is how Bearden weaponizes the mundane Southern shit you could easily scroll past in a Hallmark movie and twists it into horror. The early hospital scene with the Polaroids of the decapitated cottonmouth sets the tone beautifully. Later, the dead doe on the roadside that blurs into Millie in Becca’s grief-scrambled perception is just a vicious little emotional knife. The near miss in the grocery store parking lot with the not-Millie little girl hits in the same nerve cluster. When the book leans into those collision points where Becca’s trauma overlays the landscape like a bad AR filter, it fucking rips. The creeping ecological weirdness the booming snake population, the sense that the soil itself is in on something never fully tips over into corny monster-of-the-week territory, which I appreciated.
The voice carries a lot. Becca’s first person narration is conversational, bitterly funny, and full of little rage-spark asides that absolutely sell the vibe without turning her into a quipbot. Lines about Harlsboro being a soul-sucking shithole, the “everybody” her mom really worships, or the casual misogyny of the sheriff and Dr Blackwell all feel lived in. The scenes are usually grounded in sensory detail with sweat, humidity, the stink of roadkill, the clatter of old window units, and cheap soda in the hospital which helps the weirder beats land. This is very much a slow-burn first half with grief and family drama in the foreground and horror intrusions on the edges, then a faster, more ritual-heavy back end once the supernatural cards are on the table. That shift works, but some middle stretch scenes feel like they repeat the same emotional beat. Mom is manipulative and judgmental, Becca is triggered as shit by the house and the town without adding much new. The climax does the folk horror thing you are expecting, and while it is satisfying, it is also the place where you feel the “good but not exceptional” ceiling most clearly.
This is absolutely a book about grief and inherited rot. Millie’s absence is not just a tragic backstory, it is the gravity well the whole story orbits. Becca’s images of Millie bleeding into dead animals and strange children are a reminder that trauma does not stay politely in its lane, and Bearden ties that personal loss to a bigger question of what small towns bury to keep functioning. The mother-daughter stuff is appropriately messy. Nancy is not some cartoon Bible-thumper, she is petty and cruel and terrified in very human ways, and the horror takes a clear pleasure in linking her rigid religiosity to something literally poisonous growing in the ground. The soil, the snakes, the family line, the church gossip all function as one ecosystem. It leaves me thinking “the land remembers everything you let happen here, and it is tired of your shit.”
Amongst the folk horror scene, this is a contemporary rural grief novel that is less “prestige lit” than, say, a Laird Barron or a Priya Sharma collection, but a clear cut above the forgettable snake-on-the-cover pulp. I would put it in the “worth recommending to people who already like this flavor” tier next to the solid eco-sinister small press stuff, not in the year-end top ten but absolutely in the “oh you like swampy shit, you should check this out” conversation.
A strong, snake-haunted slice of Southern folk horror with a killer sense of place and some genuinely nasty emotional punches, held back by familiar moves and a few saggy stretches, but still very much worth your time if the soil is already calling your fucked up little heart.
Read if you love complicated, fucked up mother-daughter dynamics served with a side of church gossip and class resentment.
Skip if you hate internal monologue and do not want to live inside a traumatized narrator’s head for 250 pages.
Review of advance copy
This is a well-crafted debut horror novel, set in rural Georgia, and figuring a strong and interesting female main character. She's not only dealing with her own trauma from the loss of her young daughter, but forced to return to her hometown she also has to sort out her relationship with her fanatically religious mother, when the latter gets hospitalized after a serious snake bite. Hinted throughout is a supernaturally inflected mystery plaguing the small town: people go missing, the sheriff is acting suspicious, and the local rich family seems to have something important to hide.
Hovering between grief and folk horror, the story soon crosses thriller territory, the horror always postponed, at least until the book's last quarter. There are also strong hints of romance, though these are never actually realized, the tale eventually turning into the direction of cult horror. The book has a great southern feel, highlighting the role of religion and closedmindedness while paying attention to small details which set up a claustrophobic atmosphere to great effect. Scenes of death and decay pop up at just the right places, the authentic-sounding dialogue further deepening the sense of place, making this an easy read for readers who enjoy family drama with small town vibes and subtle supernatural elements revolving around snakes, secrets and cults.
The book's strength lies more in execution and less in originality: impeccable characterization and fine pacing with a balanced ending on the one hand, a lot of predictability and familiarity on the other. The mother-daughter relationship is messed up enough to keep one's interest in the book's first half, the supernatural aspects of the story adequately implemented to keep one reading in the second. Finally, however, the twists are not surprising enough, the resolution not as challenging as might be expected, and the main character is never given enough time to change or at least rethink her choices before being forced to do so by circumstances.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Hovering between grief and folk horror, the story soon crosses thriller territory, the horror always postponed, at least until the book's last quarter. There are also strong hints of romance, though these are never actually realized, the tale eventually turning into the direction of cult horror. The book has a great southern feel, highlighting the role of religion and closedmindedness while paying attention to small details which set up a claustrophobic atmosphere to great effect. Scenes of death and decay pop up at just the right places, the authentic-sounding dialogue further deepening the sense of place, making this an easy read for readers who enjoy family drama with small town vibes and subtle supernatural elements revolving around snakes, secrets and cults.
The book's strength lies more in execution and less in originality: impeccable characterization and fine pacing with a balanced ending on the one hand, a lot of predictability and familiarity on the other. The mother-daughter relationship is messed up enough to keep one's interest in the book's first half, the supernatural aspects of the story adequately implemented to keep one reading in the second. Finally, however, the twists are not surprising enough, the resolution not as challenging as might be expected, and the main character is never given enough time to change or at least rethink her choices before being forced to do so by circumstances.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 31, 2026
This is such a good, solid story. I love finding a debut horror author that already has the ability to craft such a good story. My only issue is that now I have to wait for them to write MORE BOOKS!!!
The Soil is Calling has a good mix of subgenres and themes, laced together to make a well-developed, cohesive book. We have Becca, the main character, who's come home to rural Georgia to take care of her mother who was bitten by a venomous snake. An at times overly religious mother, who Becca hasn't always had the best relationship with. All the while, Becca is still grieving the disappearance of her child, even though it happened years before the book takes place, that's a kind of pain that never goes away. And coming back to Georgia brings up all those old emotions anew.
Grief horror and family dynamics like this aren't always my cup of tea. But what makes this book so good is that all of those struggles the characters are going through tie in really well with the unsettling things going on out in the swamps surrounding this little Georgia town. The setting is what first attracted me to this book, but the storytelling is what kept me interested throughout.
It doesn't take long for Becca to notice her mother's strange behavior, and to find out that there seem to be way too many disappearances and murders for such a small town as of late. Disappearances and murders that the Sheriff doesn't seem to want anyone to investigate. And it all seems to be leading Becca back to the land of one of the most powerful families in town.
The author does such a great job of building this story up with interesting, realistic characters. While I don't think I would have made all of the same decisions Becca made, it still felt real. And when the supernatual elements come to light, it's got such a creepiness factor in the best way.
I highly suggest at least reading the sample of this book. That's what ultimately made me decide to pick this one up. If you like the tone and voice of the beginning, you will more than likely enjoy the rest of the book because it just keeps getting better from there. It's a solid read from start to finish.
I actually thought the book was shorter upon finishing because I was able to read it so quickly. For about the last quarter, I started getting irritated any time life got in the way of me getting to the end, because I was enjoying the read so much.
The Soil is Calling has a good mix of subgenres and themes, laced together to make a well-developed, cohesive book. We have Becca, the main character, who's come home to rural Georgia to take care of her mother who was bitten by a venomous snake. An at times overly religious mother, who Becca hasn't always had the best relationship with. All the while, Becca is still grieving the disappearance of her child, even though it happened years before the book takes place, that's a kind of pain that never goes away. And coming back to Georgia brings up all those old emotions anew.
Grief horror and family dynamics like this aren't always my cup of tea. But what makes this book so good is that all of those struggles the characters are going through tie in really well with the unsettling things going on out in the swamps surrounding this little Georgia town. The setting is what first attracted me to this book, but the storytelling is what kept me interested throughout.
It doesn't take long for Becca to notice her mother's strange behavior, and to find out that there seem to be way too many disappearances and murders for such a small town as of late. Disappearances and murders that the Sheriff doesn't seem to want anyone to investigate. And it all seems to be leading Becca back to the land of one of the most powerful families in town.
The author does such a great job of building this story up with interesting, realistic characters. While I don't think I would have made all of the same decisions Becca made, it still felt real. And when the supernatual elements come to light, it's got such a creepiness factor in the best way.
I highly suggest at least reading the sample of this book. That's what ultimately made me decide to pick this one up. If you like the tone and voice of the beginning, you will more than likely enjoy the rest of the book because it just keeps getting better from there. It's a solid read from start to finish.
I actually thought the book was shorter upon finishing because I was able to read it so quickly. For about the last quarter, I started getting irritated any time life got in the way of me getting to the end, because I was enjoying the read so much.
Review of advance copy
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
When Becca begrudgingly returns to her little hometown in Harlsboro, Georgia for her mother she knows something is off the second she crosses the county line… And not just in the way that all small towns feel off when you go through them(I would know, l came from one).
She plans to only be there to help her mama recover from a snakebite and then she's back out of there. But the longer she stays, the more things start to fall apart. She can't sleep, she keeps hearing scratching sounds at night, and she's by visions of her daughter who's been missing for five years out of nowhere.
I found this ARC through BookSirens and l've been enthralled ever since. I got pulled in by the cool cover(yeah yeah yeah, "don't judge a book by its cover" like we haven't all done it) but I stayed for the plot. I only put this book down strictly against my will to go to work and make food. It had me hooked from the start and kept me on the edge of my seat to the very end. I quite enjoyed the character building, the pacing, and the general premise. Everything. I enjoyed everything, thoroughly.
Personally, I am also a fan of how the complicated thoughts and feelings were developed around returning back to your small town home after moving away and forming a life of your own but still having love for where you came from; it was deeply relatable and struck a lot of heart strings.
Truthfully I could go on about this book for hours, but I will leave it at this: I highly recommend this book. I’ll be adding it to my shelves and giving it a good re-read once I have the released copy in my hands. . . And I hardly ever re-read books.
When Becca begrudgingly returns to her little hometown in Harlsboro, Georgia for her mother she knows something is off the second she crosses the county line… And not just in the way that all small towns feel off when you go through them(I would know, l came from one).
She plans to only be there to help her mama recover from a snakebite and then she's back out of there. But the longer she stays, the more things start to fall apart. She can't sleep, she keeps hearing scratching sounds at night, and she's by visions of her daughter who's been missing for five years out of nowhere.
I found this ARC through BookSirens and l've been enthralled ever since. I got pulled in by the cool cover(yeah yeah yeah, "don't judge a book by its cover" like we haven't all done it) but I stayed for the plot. I only put this book down strictly against my will to go to work and make food. It had me hooked from the start and kept me on the edge of my seat to the very end. I quite enjoyed the character building, the pacing, and the general premise. Everything. I enjoyed everything, thoroughly.
Personally, I am also a fan of how the complicated thoughts and feelings were developed around returning back to your small town home after moving away and forming a life of your own but still having love for where you came from; it was deeply relatable and struck a lot of heart strings.
Truthfully I could go on about this book for hours, but I will leave it at this: I highly recommend this book. I’ll be adding it to my shelves and giving it a good re-read once I have the released copy in my hands. . . And I hardly ever re-read books.
November 21, 2025
Estrangements are odd. One minute you vow you will never speak or see someone again, the next you could find yourself compelled to do just those things. For Becca, the main character in Bearden's debut novel, it is her mother Becca is estranged from. Becca has found herself happy enough to have broken from the ways of the deep, swampy south, along with her mother's judgmental and cutting ways...until the woman suffers the bite from a cottonmouth snake. From the first visit Becca has with her in the hospital, she's asked if she's considered getting back with her ex. Inconsiderate since the reason they have split was due to the disappearance of their daughter.
But Becca soldiers on and gets the doctor to agree to take her mother home. Soon she learns her mother has a newfound love of Coke, even though she's never liked the sugary drink before. There's scratching at her bedroom window at night, and a rude sheriff who seems off. When she reunites with one of her close friends, Clay, and catches up it's a breath of fresh air. There's definitely something going on with people who have gone missing over the last handful of years.
There are some great cult vibes here. Also, isolation vibes. I really felt that main character against the evil energy and it had me on the edge of my seat. I liked questioning who I could and couldn't trust. This book is worth your time, if you like these kinds of elements in your reads. I'll be interested to see what else this author writes in the future. Strong debut!
But Becca soldiers on and gets the doctor to agree to take her mother home. Soon she learns her mother has a newfound love of Coke, even though she's never liked the sugary drink before. There's scratching at her bedroom window at night, and a rude sheriff who seems off. When she reunites with one of her close friends, Clay, and catches up it's a breath of fresh air. There's definitely something going on with people who have gone missing over the last handful of years.
There are some great cult vibes here. Also, isolation vibes. I really felt that main character against the evil energy and it had me on the edge of my seat. I liked questioning who I could and couldn't trust. This book is worth your time, if you like these kinds of elements in your reads. I'll be interested to see what else this author writes in the future. Strong debut!
December 9, 2025
Thanks to the author/publisher for the ARC of this novel!
C.P.Bearden's debut novel, The Soil Is Calling, is a chilling atmospheric southern gothic horror, which are my favorite types of books to read. Also, I'm kind of a sucker for anything with a snake on the cover, to be honest. The story follows Becca, who comes back to her mother's small town after she was bitten by a venomous snake. A few years before the snake bite incident, Becca's daughter went missing without a trace. Becca has to live with the fact that she no longer has her daughter, and she may never know what has become of her, which is frightening enough.
Her rural hometown has secrets and shady characters. It's hard for Becca to know who to trust, and even her mind seems to be playing tricks on her. Becca's grief has apparently caused her to hallucinate and see what might be her daughter, when she isn't there. This book was masterfully atmospheric and at times felt like a fever dream. I would recommend this novel to fans of medium-paced atmospheric horror with thriller elements, such as the likes of Nat Cassidy, Ronald Malfi, and Adam Nevill.
C.P.Bearden's debut novel, The Soil Is Calling, is a chilling atmospheric southern gothic horror, which are my favorite types of books to read. Also, I'm kind of a sucker for anything with a snake on the cover, to be honest. The story follows Becca, who comes back to her mother's small town after she was bitten by a venomous snake. A few years before the snake bite incident, Becca's daughter went missing without a trace. Becca has to live with the fact that she no longer has her daughter, and she may never know what has become of her, which is frightening enough.
Her rural hometown has secrets and shady characters. It's hard for Becca to know who to trust, and even her mind seems to be playing tricks on her. Becca's grief has apparently caused her to hallucinate and see what might be her daughter, when she isn't there. This book was masterfully atmospheric and at times felt like a fever dream. I would recommend this novel to fans of medium-paced atmospheric horror with thriller elements, such as the likes of Nat Cassidy, Ronald Malfi, and Adam Nevill.
February 1, 2026
In perfect Southern Gothic fashion, The Soil is Calling is dripping with atmosphere. It is heavy, both in the environment as well as the emotions being explored. Bearden does an impressive job of drawing parallels between how parents’ quirks and behaviors can rub off on their children, even into adulthood. All of the relationships are very realistic and there is a ton of heart throughout this book. One of the biggest strengths is how the different personalities interact with one another.
The town of Harlsboro has layers upon layers of hidden secrets and danger. The town is painted in a similar fashion as Derry, within the Stephen King universe, is - especially in terms of just how many secrets are buried along the dirt covered side of the road, and the EFFECT the town has on those who call it home, and those who spend enough time away.
All of the elements of this story come together brilliantly, making something very special. When things truly begin to go off the rails, you get this sense of claustrophobia, and lack of control, where the main character is in a situation where, you don’t quite know if they’re going to be safe.
The town of Harlsboro has layers upon layers of hidden secrets and danger. The town is painted in a similar fashion as Derry, within the Stephen King universe, is - especially in terms of just how many secrets are buried along the dirt covered side of the road, and the EFFECT the town has on those who call it home, and those who spend enough time away.
All of the elements of this story come together brilliantly, making something very special. When things truly begin to go off the rails, you get this sense of claustrophobia, and lack of control, where the main character is in a situation where, you don’t quite know if they’re going to be safe.
December 27, 2025
The Soil Is Calling by C.P. Bearden is one of those books that creeps under your skin and stays there long after you close the cover.From the first pages, the atmosphere is thick damp soil, whispering woods, and a slow, unsettling sense that the land itself is alive and watching. This isn’t fast, flashy horror. It’s quiet dread, the kind that coils tighter with every chapter. The symbolism is sharp, the tension is patient, and when things finally snap, it feels earned and disturbing in the best way.What surprised me most was how grounded it felt. The horror isn’t just monsters or snakes in the dark it’s legacy, guilt, and the terrifying idea that some places never let you leave… even if you think you escaped.If you love folk horror, nature-based terror, and stories where the environment feels like a character, this one is absolutely worth your time. This book calls to you and once you listen, there’s no un-hearing it.Highly recommend for fans of eerie woods, slow-burn horror, and stories that crawl instead of jump.
January 21, 2026
4.75 stars
I really liked this book, so much in fact that I’m adding it to my list of books to buy. The story was great, I was constantly wanting to know what happens next, I was at the edge of my seat the last half of the book. I loved some of the throwbacks as an elder millennial and loved our main characters personality. The story was definitely eerie and it honestly wasn’t what I expected it would be, but I enjoyed it overall. I will say, the ending for me personally threw me off. I can’t quite pinpoint what it is, but something felt off with the ending. Maybe it just didn’t end how I expected or the outcome was not what I thought it would be, but I didn’t dislike it. It was just different than what most horror novels are. Glad I was able to read this one and if this is what CP Bearden’s writing is going to be, he will be an auto-buy author for me.
Thank you to CP Bearden and Conquest Publishing for the e-arc!
I really liked this book, so much in fact that I’m adding it to my list of books to buy. The story was great, I was constantly wanting to know what happens next, I was at the edge of my seat the last half of the book. I loved some of the throwbacks as an elder millennial and loved our main characters personality. The story was definitely eerie and it honestly wasn’t what I expected it would be, but I enjoyed it overall. I will say, the ending for me personally threw me off. I can’t quite pinpoint what it is, but something felt off with the ending. Maybe it just didn’t end how I expected or the outcome was not what I thought it would be, but I didn’t dislike it. It was just different than what most horror novels are. Glad I was able to read this one and if this is what CP Bearden’s writing is going to be, he will be an auto-buy author for me.
Thank you to CP Bearden and Conquest Publishing for the e-arc!
January 26, 2026
From the very first page, I could tell that I was going to be drawn into this novel. I am a similar age to Becca, the main character, so I felt that I was able to connect with her on a deeper level. From a character aspect, I felt that the novel demonstrates a woman overcoming grief, acceptance to things that she could not change, companionship and bravery. From a genre perspective, it hit the nail on the head with horror/thriller. Though it is similar to the genres that I normally read, I felt that this had enough of a difference to where I did not expect fully what was going to happen next. I found myself having a difficult time putting it down once I got to the 43% mark. Nothing like a small hometown thriller to get the blood pumping. I look forward to reading more from this author.
**I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review your book!**
**I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review your book!**
December 17, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed “The Soil is Calling” by C. P. Bearden. The beginning of the book felt like it dragged a little bit, but the final half of the book really took off, and the scenes at the end were truly frightening! At one point I even closed the book to give myself time to slow down before diving back in because I had to know what happened!
Without giving too much away, I think the storyline, while scary, got a little complex there at the end with no real explanation or meaningful resolution. I would have loved some clarity, especially given how mich detail is given to the first part of the book.
Still, it was a really fun read, and I do recommend it to thriller/horror lovers. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and BookSirens for providing me with advance review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Without giving too much away, I think the storyline, while scary, got a little complex there at the end with no real explanation or meaningful resolution. I would have loved some clarity, especially given how mich detail is given to the first part of the book.
Still, it was a really fun read, and I do recommend it to thriller/horror lovers. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and BookSirens for providing me with advance review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Soil Is Calling is a quietly unsettling, atmospheric read that lingers long after the last page. C.P. Bearden’s writing is lyrical and immersive. Every scene feels rooted in the land itself, which acts almost like a living, watching character. The story explores generational trauma, grief, and the ways in which our pasts can anchor or consume us.
I loved how the horror in this book isn’t about jump scares or gore but about mood, inevitability, and the pull of something haunting beneath the surface. The slow build of dread, paired with the emotional weight carried by the characters, made me feel both uneasy and deeply connected to their struggles.
This book is perfect for readers who enjoy atmospheric folk horror, literary horror, and slow-burn stories where the setting is as much a character as the people inhabiting it.
I loved how the horror in this book isn’t about jump scares or gore but about mood, inevitability, and the pull of something haunting beneath the surface. The slow build of dread, paired with the emotional weight carried by the characters, made me feel both uneasy and deeply connected to their struggles.
This book is perfect for readers who enjoy atmospheric folk horror, literary horror, and slow-burn stories where the setting is as much a character as the people inhabiting it.
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