The Children

by Melissa Albert

Guinevere Sharpe has two childhoods.

In one, she lives in the wooded shadow of her family's isolated Vermont farmhouse; in the other, the pages of her mother’s world-famous Ninth City books, where her magical adventures have made her a household name. In reality, Guinevere's childhood isn't the enchanted idyll her mother’s readers imagine: she and her older brother are growing up near-feral, unwashed and underfed, escaping each day to the lichen-clotted woods they’ve made their playland. As Edith Sharpe’s books explode into epic popularity, the threats of a rural childhood give way to the escalating perils of fame—until the night it all goes up in flames, leaving Edith’s series unfinished and her children the sole survivors.

Now an adult coasting on her mother's name, Guinevere is mid-promotion for a ghostwritten memoir when her estranged brother, an artist who has until now spurned his family's legacy, announces an upcoming installation titled Mother. As rumors swirl around a death connected to his last show, unsettling recollections from Guinevere’s childhood begin to surface. Her public facade starts to crack, forcing her to confront the questions she's spent the last twenty years running from: What really happened the night of the fire? And what dark history lies behind their mother’s creative genius?

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Fiction, Mystery, Gothic, Adult, Thriller

416 pages, Hardcover

First published June 2, 2026

About the author

Melissa Albert is the New York Times and indie bestselling author of the Hazel Wood series and Our Crooked Hearts, and a former bookseller and founder of the Barnes & Noble Teen Blog. Her work has been translated into more than twenty languages and included in the New York Times’ list of Notable Children’s Books. She enjoys swimming pool tourism, genre mashups, and living in Brooklyn with her hilarious husband and magnificently goofy son.

Okay, now I will stop talking about myself in the third person. I try to reply to all messages and questions, so please reach out, or come find me on Twitter (@mimi_albert) or Instagram (@melissaalbertauthor)! (But please note: I don't accept GR friend requests anymore because of Amazon's related review policy.)

Reviews

[Melissa]

SHE HAS ARRIVED!! You can read an excerpt here.

[emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

as long as melissa albert is writing eerie dark genre-bending fairytale stories, i will be reading

(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
(review to come)

[Zoë · Rating 5 out of 5]

i can’t wait to still be recommending this book to people when I’m 80 years old

[LTJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

​“The Children” by Melissa Albert is my first time reading this author, and I have to admit, her writing style is excellent. Once I got a few chapters in, I was excited to see where this story would go. It had an interesting concept involving siblings, a creepy house, and a forest, but unfortunately, this was mostly a dud.

There weren’t any trigger warnings while reading, which was odd to me at first since this is labeled as a horror novel. To be honest, I wouldn’t even classify “The Children” as a horror novel. It’s more fantasy and magic realism than a true horror reading experience. While I loved Albert’s writing style, as she’s very talented, there was just way too much dialogue here.

With alternating timelines that shift from the present to the past to fill in the backstory, the pacing was too slow, and the story dragged multiple times while reading. These were a bit annoying and tedious, since I was more invested in the past, when ​the main characters, Guinevere and Ennis​, were kids, than in what was happening in the present.

It was awesome that it took place in New York, my hometown, but even that couldn’t save this novel, as it desperately needed more horror. Most situations and events were overly descriptive for no real reason, and not scary enough at all. It didn’t add to the overall story, and I kept waiting and waiting and waiting for something evil, creepy, or horrific to happen, and it never came.

​T​here weren't any crazy, fun, or wild plot twists either. It’s just ​story on top of story, backstory on top of backstory, and nothing horror-related happens. The story had the foundation there with the creepy house, forest, and all that jazz, but it never went in the horror direction I was hoping for. It’s just way too heavy with story than creepy moments, and obviously, you need that for any horror novel ​w​orth its weight.

With repetitive moments and side characters that didn’t add anything to the story, this was an unmemorable read, and that’s a shame. Obviously, Albert has the writing skills to knock it out of the park, but this was a very underwhelming ​n​ovel. I enjoyed the characters and the story involving Guin and her brother Ennis, as well as the mystery surrounding their parents, but I lost interest numerous times while reading because too often nothing happens at all. Just a lot of lingering thoughts, descriptions, and story story story.

I was hoping this would be a slow-burning novel and that the ending would blow me away. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The ending left me with a “meh” feeling, and, due to all the excess dialogue, descriptions, and, again, story, it was lackluster. I didn’t feel anything at all when done, and just wanted to be done with this novel already.

I give “The Children” by Melissa Albert a 2-Star rating out of 5. The only thing I enjoyed was Albert’s solid writing style, the main characters of Guin and Ennis, and that’s pretty much it. There is barely any horror in this novel, and I would consider it more about a sibling rivalry mixed in with fantasy and magic. This isn’t for the demographic of true horror readers, as I would stay away from this one if you’re looking for something to keep you up late at night while reading.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author Melissa Albert, and William Morrow for providing me with an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) for review consideration. This horror book review reflects my honest, personal opinion.

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dark and atmospheric story that pulled me in right from the beginning. The book follows Guinevere as she looks back on her strange childhood in a Vermont farmhouse while also dealing with events in the present. The mystery surrounding her family kept me turning the pages, and I loved the eerie feeling that something was wrong even when I couldn't quite figure out what. The story slowly reveals its secrets, creating a haunting and emotional reading experience.

The characters were one of my favorite parts of the book. Guin was an easy character to follow, and I felt for both her and her brother Ennis as they dealt with the effects of their unusual upbringing. The family dynamics were complicated and often heartbreaking. The farmhouse itself felt almost like a character, filled with secrets and unsettling memories.

I really enjoyed this book. The writing was beautiful, the mystery kept me interested, and the creepy fairy tale feel worked very well. I did wish the ending had given a few more answers, as some parts felt a little rushed after such a slow build. Even so, I found the story memorable and unique, and I would happily recommend it to readers who enjoy gothic fiction, family mysteries, and darker fairy tale inspired stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Erin Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

I… I… just preorder this book!!!!

[Liana Gold · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about two siblings trying to understand their past while confronting the uncomfortable truths about their mother's legacy. Their childhood was immortalized in their mother's best-selling fantasy series but their upbringing was a lot darker and more complicated than the magical stories their mother created.

This was one of my BOTM selected picks and I truly wanted to like it more than ever but I did not enjoy the story on a grand scale. I found the novel 100 pages too long and the audiobook too monotone. I feel that the story ran in circles, at points was too descriptive and had side characters and parts that were completely insignificant to the story. The writing, indeed was very atmospheric, lyrical and beautiful. Melissa Albert is a gifted writer and this novel excelled in complicated character development (I didn’t like or fully understand the main siblings). But often I was questioning: is this real or is trauma? I think the story itself is wonderful and had a dream like allure to it that made it read almost like a dark fairytale. But it’s far from a dark horror story that I was waiting for.

FULL REVIEW TO FOLLOW

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went in knowing nothing except that it’s dark, a play on fairytales, and features wild siblings. Those are hit words for me.

The story alternates between siblings’ feral, isolated 1990s childhood in rural Vermont and the present-day fallout of their famous mother's legacy as a legendary author of a children’s fantasy series. The siblings didn’t have the magical, glamorous childhood their mother cultivated to the public.

Now estranged, they are both spinning their own tales and hiding from the reality of their neglectful, toxic, bohemian childhood.

There was always some lack or ache or unappeased appetite, and all of it held her in a perpetual state of noticing. Vigilance, they called it, though she didn’t know that then. Need had pinned her so neatly inside her skin, made her live hour to hour like an animal. She was underfed and isolated; she was envied and dreamed about. Her whole life was limned in shadow and gold.

I expected this to be a bit darker, more whimsically horror; subverting tropes. This was more of an internal character study on the girl and then the woman who was always perceived outside of her own agency.

I thought the ending would be more wild than it was, but it was mostly satisfying for a shorter standalone.

More rooted in reality and the paradoxical phenomena and its effects, this is a good story to get lost in if you ever wondered what a parallel-universe Narnia might be like.
3.75 stars.🌟

Arc gifted by publisher.

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[Dayle (the literary llama) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I dunno. This might be two stars actually. I could not settle on whether my time was being well spent. I swung back and forth the entire way and almost quit 1/3 through. There were occasional interactions that would pull me back in, some shining moments, but then it would dip low again slogging through words wondering if we’d ever get to the point.

It tries so hard to be deep and lush and atmospheric but you feel the strain and effort in every turn of phrase, trying to make it happen. Enough metaphors and similes to fill 10 books. So many descriptives shoved into every moment that words started to lose all meaning.

Even still, the first half could have been redeemed if the second half actually went somewhere. But it just seemed to be the same flashbacks over and over. New year. Same neglect. It didn’t build, clarify, or add anything to the characters.

And where we end up is somewhat baffling. There is a very vague sense of a supernatural entity teased at the beginning and it takes until the end for any kind of detail. For all the attention paid to every other little thing, this plot point is given none and it should have been half the book. That would have been interesting.

And not to be too spoilery but what was the takeaway supposed to be? That there’s no escaping generational mistakes and trauma? I left with the thought, “whatever, I guess.” I was just ready to be done with it.

* I received a free copy from the publisher

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Were you a child who loved to read? Were you obsessed with series like Harry Potter or Chronicles of Narnia & then conflicted by the authors real world actions or comments? Have you ever felt disillusioned by the realities of adulthood & longed for the magic those books created? If so you should plan to read this as soon as it releases!

Just an incredibly meaty book. There’s so much thematically to pull apart. The characters are beautifully crafted. Best of all the writing is profoundly evocative. The scenes set in the MCs childhood are lethargic, hazy, with constant danger floating beneath.

I found myself thrust back into my own childhood. Visiting my grandparents in Vermont involved picking blackberries in the woods, sitting in the hollow whispering to fairies, lying in the sun reading Harry Potter. As an adult those memories feel like they’re from a place I can never return to, Albert doesn’t just acknowledge that loss she also questions if any adult should return to that world.

This is a book I’ll definitely be rereading (rare for me). It’d be a great book club read . I just can’t recommend it enough!

[Eloise Blaise | Bibliophel · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite reads of the year so far!! The ending felt like one big fever dream but in the best way possible. It answered all of my questions which was a concern because this book is ambitious but worth while. I haven’t read a portal fantasy in a while so this was such a fun unique premise for me, especially adding the dimension of the main characters also being characters in their mother’s books. I loved this!!

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wtf was this though

[Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating is as a magical realist novel, with a side of fantasy--not horror content.

The Children is Albert's first adult novel, and in terms of prose structure and style, it may be her best yet. It is so much fun to read, and I loved every page. There's a subtle sense of foreboding and mystery that kept me turning each page. It is medium paced, steady and consistent.

Readers should expect Iris Murdoch-esq magical realism for about 90% of the novel. This means that fairytale elements are alluded to, but they could possibly be explained away psychologically. The last 10% is fantasy, spooky fantasy, but fantasy. This part is deliciously built up to, and it is so satisfying when these fantasy elements emerge and our primary mysteries are solved. The concept of reality itself is very much the crux of the novel--reality vs perception vs trauma vs magic. On one level, like A. S. Byatt's magically-real Frederica novels, The Children is a trauma narrative. On another level, this is a story about art and the artist and the genuinely real magic that goes into creating both.

Basic premise:

The Past: Two siblings grow up in a secluded farmhouse with a father who used to be an actor and a mother who is becoming a very famous writer of children's novels. Between celebrity guests who visit and their parent's celebrity lifestyles in general, the children are neglected. They learn to fend for themselves in the surrounding woods they make their own. All of this is watched by a presence in the farmhouse which may or may not be part of the children's imagination, a presence that "watches back."

The present: Guinevere has been employed as the custodian of her famous mother's body of work, 5 novels, by a publisher. She is used to putting on a front and dealing with her mother's fans. She has not seen her brother, now a famous visual artist, since a horrible day in their childhood when their parents died in a fire. But she has tried to see him many times. She has an annoying, nosey, clingy fiance who is basically in this novel to underscore Guinevere's self-reliance. Both siblings are extremely independent as grown up adults. Both of them are damaged by past trauma.

I wish I could say more about both storylines, but I really can't without spoiling some beautiful or thrilling moments in the story.

I will say that one of my favorite aspects of Albert's YA novels is that they are unapologetically authentic--never moralizing. The Children is no different in this regard. As a result, the ending may be somewhat shocking to readers who prefer a neat little bowtie at the end. But I personally prefer endings in which readers are left tiptoeing through open jaws with pointed teeth...ie, the ones that make you just a bit (or a whole lot) uncomfortable. The ending of The Children struck me as exactly right on. I loved that it leant a whole new spin to the illustrations included in the book. I loved that it seemed to "watch readers back."

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been out of the publishing world long enough that reading this way early felt really special—mostly because it's fucking great.

[Michael Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Us in the Book - They Not Like Us

In the atmospheric novel "The Children," Melissa Albert demonstrates remarkable creativity by blending fairy tale, gothic, and literary elements. She crafts a gothic fairy tale that masterfully balances the magic of childhood with the decay lurking at its boundaries. The work's inventive "book-within-a-book" framework provides a unique draw, particularly for those, like myself, who do not regularly gravitate toward fantasy literature. By seamlessly merging these diverse genres, the author produces a reading experience that is both imaginative and entirely distinct.

While the book’s creativity is a significant strength, the narrative pacing presents a challenge. The story's dual-timeline structure—constantly switching between the "Farmhouse" past and the present-day countdown—contributes to a slow buildup that tests patience. The focus is heavily weighted toward atmosphere and memory rather than a swift plot, meaning the resolution of central mysteries, such as the truth behind the fire at the family’s farmhouse and the nature of the brother’s art installation, feels deliberate rather than immediate.

In the end, “The Children” is a thoughtfully crafted, slow-burning study of legacy, family trauma, and the cost of being written into someone else’s art. It is a must-read for fans of literary family mysteries and modern gothic fiction who are willing to engage with a complex, nonlinear timeline and dense, sensory-rich writing. Despite the deliberate pacing, it offers an intriguing and memorable exploration of what remains when childhood wonder fades into memory.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #TheChildren #NetGalley

[Lady MacDeath 🌒🌕🌘]

Way too long…way too much description, which made the story never ending. Lost interest!

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The time we like the best of all is when the shadows creepy crawl,
One after another.
When the golden sun sinks down in the west,
And the tired birdie flies home to its nest,
And we're left alone with mother.”

I've been a fan of Melissa Albert’s work for a while now and reading The Children was pure delight!

The Children is centered around a dysfunctional family complete with hedonistic parents and neglected children who live in a creepy farmhouse. Filled with magical realism and paranormal elements, the book centers on the powerful bond between siblings and overcoming a traumatic childhood.

Atmospheric and told with a sense of foreboding, The Children pulled me in from the start and kept my attention throughout. The story made me nostalgic for the children’s fantasy series I read growing up (The Chronicles of Narnia and The Time Quintet) and I loved the haunted house setting.

The Children by Melissa Albert will be available on June 2. Many thanks to William Morrow and NetGalley for the gifted copy!

[Leanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Adjectives on adjectives on adjectives. Verbose. The overuse of descriptors made it such a slog. It’s TOO rich. I’m not sure what happened with the editor because they clearly did NOT edit.

Also, I hated the ending. We’re looking for the tortured artist brother for over 300 pages, we finally find him, and done. She wraps it up in 15-20 pages (such a let down!) and leaves a few, obvious loose threads hanging. So sequel. Which I will skip.

[Debbie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review

4⭐️ Atmospheric and haunting, this fantasy/horror story had me hooked from the beginning. Told from the POV of Guinevere Sharpe using multiple timelines, the tale slowly takes on an eerie and creepy feel about midway.

Guin and Ennis are close siblings that grow up in the wild on their Vermont farm as their world famous writer mother Edith uses them as the characters in her Ninth city books. Their artist father Llewelyn, equally neglectful, changes one Winter night into someone they no longer recognize. There is something wrong with the house that seems to keep hold of them all.

Everything changes one night during a devastating fire and Guin spends the next 20 years trying to escape the trauma and reconnect with her long lost brother.

I love the siblings and Guin’s narration brings a tense urgency to the story. The twist at the end came as a surprise and wrapped it all up perfectly!

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishers for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this as an ARC and immediately pre-ordered a physical copy afterwards.

Good luck to the rest of the books on my 2026 TBR 🐝

WOW. This was eerie, intimate, and impossible to put down.

Before I read this, I saw many reviews with the word "haunting," and The Children is just that.

The writing is gorgeous and a little unsettling (in the best way). I don't even know what to say about the story; I lived Guin's childhood with her through the pages. Melissa Albert takes you on an adventure and then brings you back and ties the story together, again and again.

Absolutely LOVED this one.

[Quinn · Rating 2 out of 5]

“The children who grew up on these books and reread them later on often say the same thing: These are darker than I remember. Crueler, stranger, more haunted by longing and loss.

All good children’s books are.”

The Children is classic Melissa Albert; a dark, twisted fairy tale overlapping the real world. I was intrigued by the synopsis and thrilled when I received the ARC. But unfortunately, this wasn’t quite what I was expecting, and I’m still trying to make sense of it.

The protagonist of The Children is Guinevere Sharpe, daughter of famous author Edith Sharpe. In the early 2000s, Guinevere and her brother Ennis were immortalized in their mother’s Ninth City books, a dark fantasy series for children that received worldwide acclaim. Readers who grew up on the books assumed the Sharpe siblings were living a magical life like their fictional counterparts, but that belief couldn’t have been further from the truth.

In actuality, the siblings’ childhood was marked by hunger and neglect. They grew up semi-feral, taking to the woods to escape their Vermont farmhouse. They received no formal education during these years, and their parents were too preoccupied with their art and entertaining a revolving door of guests to pay attention to the kids.

When their parents died in a house fire, Ennis and Guin were split up and estranged for over two decades. While Guin is the face of a ghostwritten memoir, Ennis made a career as an artist, known for his surreal, scandalous exhibitions. His newest installation, titled Mother, is what forces Guinevere to revisit Edith’s legacy and confront the truth behind their parents’ deaths.

Sounds pretty good, right? That’s what I thought. But The Children is bogged down by unnecessary chapters, characters, and plotlines that seem like they’ll be more important than they actually are.

While the writing is occasionally lush and alluring, there are many awkward turns of phrase and an overabundance of similes. Guinevere doesn’t feel like a fully formed person, and it takes almost 400 pages to meet Ennis in the present day. And the ARC is 424 pages long.

The reveal at the end was so random and bizarre that it felt like I was suddenly reading a different story. There are a few hints throughout the book, but they didn’t come together in a satisfying way.

My biggest disappointment, though, is that the Ninth City books aren’t real. A portal fantasy about a shapeshifting realm where visitors’ memories are stolen by a mysterious overseer sounds more interesting than whatever The Children was trying to be.

[Devin The Book Dragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear Melissa Albert isn’t actually from our world. She has to be an envoy from one of the stories she writes. She is 100% the female Neil Gaiman.

The Children is another book about a book and it reminded me so much of The Hazel Wood in the best way possible. It uses a dual timeline that pulls you in immediately. It’s dark, creepy, whimsical, and so immersive that while I was reading, I’m pretty sure I wasn't even on planet Earth anymore.

I spent the entire time wishing the Ninth City series was real so I could actually read it. I felt the exact same way about the Hinterland stories back in the day, so I’m crossing my fingers she eventually releases the Ninth City tales as a real book too.

The absolute best character was Edith Sharpe. I don’t know what it is about artistic, emotionally unavailable, semi-villainous mothers, but they just work for me. Her being mentally "absent" made the whole thing so much more haunting.

The only small issue I had is that it felt just a tiny bit longer than it needed to be in some spots. But even with the extra length, I was totally obsessed. If you like stories that make you feel like you’ve slipped through a crack in reality, you need this.

Provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Celine · Rating 5 out of 5]

when was the last time i read a book that made me feel like a kid, again?

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to William Morrow for the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Children, by Melissa Albert. This was my first book by this author. As I understand it, this is her first book aimed at adults (versus young adults). Unfortunately it wasn’t a big hit with me.

I was intrigued by the premise - the main characters are two adult children of an author who wrote them into her fantasy series for children, back when they themselves were still children. Guinevere and Ennis weren’t thrilled at being in the books, even as they were being written; they were pretty much neglected by both parents in a rambling, spooky house in the woods in rural Vermont, so they turned to each other for companionship and adventures. After a disaster at “The Farmhouse” in which both parents are killed (not a spoiler), Guin and Ennis got separated and they haven’t seen or talked to each other in 20 years. Two instigating events form the modern day timeline - Guin has published a memoir about growing up as the child of the famous author, and Ennis, who is an artist who does unusual art installations, announces that he’s opening one in a few days called “Mother.”

So far so good. The writing is lovely and very atmospheric. BUT… the timeline jumps between when they were kids and the present day were too frequent. They interrupted the flow of the narrative for me far too much and made it way too easy to put the book down. “Oh, okay, this is a good stopping point.” It took me way longer to read this book than my norm (part of it was “life” and part of it was the book itself). Also, the editing should have been tighter to shorten the book. (It felt very long and the pacing, particularly in the middle, felt too slow.) The author also unnecessarily uses some very unusual vocabulary - I have quite a good vocabulary and I had to look up a bunch of words.

The author is skilled and she definitely built a world with a mysterious and threatening, gothic atmosphere. But I didn’t care much about the main characters and the story was too chopped up and took too long to get to the reveal, which itself felt rushed, with Ennis explaining everything to Guin in the last chapter or two.

An unsatisfying read.

[Crystal FloridaGrams Of3 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this story absolutely fantastic.

[BookishlySonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! RTC

[Natalie "Curling up with a Coffee and a Kindle" Laird]

Too long of nothing happening.
There were scenes that made me engaged, interested and back in the book. But these moments were too few and far between for me to finish. I got to 50% before I realised I didn't actually care about any of the characters.

[Madison Runser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sucked into this book right from the start, it’s the best kind of magical realism! The writing style is great; the characters are interesting, the scenes are painted beautifully, and the story unfolds seamlessly through the dual timelines. The whole book was tense, unsettling, and kept me guessing. Definitely recommend!

Also I’m IN LOVE with the cover!

[Dakota Bossard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A haunting family epic that will stick with me the rest of my life. Underneath the lyrical writing and vivid storytelling lies an examination of the power of memory, the ghosts of our upbringings, and the role art plays in our lives. Mark your calendars for June 2026!!

[Abby | abbysbookadventure · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rage review incoming!!! I absolutely HATED this book.

First of all, let's talk about the MARKETING:
✨ EXPECTATION: The email I received from the publisher hyping it up said: "It’s about the estranged adult children of a legendary author, their mother, who wrote them into her mega-bestselling fantasy series as characters. Now, Guinevere Sharpe is looking back on her childhood—on the one hand the idyllic setting of their mother’s hit series, and on the other perhaps darker than even she has allowed herself to believe. It’s about childhood memories, magic, motherhood, siblings, art, and it’s a love letter to all the kids who loved to read, aka us." In addition to that, the very first genre tag on Goodreads is "fantasy," with second "horror." I was expecting...a fantasy book, first and foremost, with plot, and I thought it would be dark.
✨ REALITY: Not that, AT ALL. I am genuinely confused whether the marketer read this book and how "a love letter to kids who loved to read" was her takeaway - literally, WHAT. Couldn't be FURTHER from reality?? I can't explain why without spoilers, but trust me. This book is a slow reflection with a mystery layer where you're building to an event coming up (which is how the book ends). It's vibes more than anything. There's an edge of darkness to the book overall but calling it horror feels like QUITE the stretch.

I will actually say though, that the mismarketing is not why I hated this book. Sure, my StoryGraph buddy read with @readingwithbeans was mostly me being like "I'm confused, I thought this was a fantasy book?" and "Kelly, what is this book about????" But I didn't actually hate the reality. It liked the cabin in the woods and creepy edge and it is building to *something.* If that something had been executed well, I think I could have really liked it, but instead...

DEAR GOD, NEGATIVE STARS FOR THE END.

The ending was a complete cop out to me. Nothing annoys me more than a build up of a mystery where they simply sit you down and tell you what's been going on. Like, NO. But then what they told you was...so beyond stupid? Like truly. I CANNOT. It turned this book from something potentially interesting to a book about...nothing. L. O. L.

ZERO STARS for wasting my time!!!!!

Disclaimer: As always, rage reviews are meant to be a form of comedic relief. We all like different things and that's what makes reading (and life) fun!

Thank you William Morrow for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.