What do you think?
Rate this book
Relic
From Gretchen McNeil, the author of Ten and Possess, comes this teen horror novel perfect for young fans of Stephen King, and Lois Duncan's I Know What You Did Last Summer.
For Annie Kramer, the summer before college is bittersweet—both a last hurrah of freedom and the last days she'll spend with her boyfriend, Jack, before they head off to different colleges. So she and her friends plan one final adventure: a houseboating trip on Shasta Lake, complete with booze, romance . . . and an off-limits exploration of the notorious Bull Valley Mine.
The legends of mysterious lights and missing persons on Shasta Lake have been a staple of sleepovers and campouts since Annie was a kid. Full of decrepit bridges that lead to nowhere, railroad tunnels that disappear into the mountains, and terrifying stories of unexplained deaths and bodies that were never recovered, Bull Valley Mine is notorious and frightening—perfect for an epic conclusion to their high school lives.
The trip is fun and light—at first. But when a deranged stranger stumbles upon their campsite, spouting terrifying warnings and pleas for help, it's clear that everyone is in danger. And when their exploration of the mine goes horribly wrong, Annie and her friends quickly discover that the menace of Bull Valley Mine doesn't stay at Shasta Lake—it follows them home.
As one by one her friends fall victim to this mysterious and violent force, Annie must do whatever it takes to discover the ancient secrets of the mine and save her friends . . . if she's not already too late.
Epic Reads Impulse is a digital imprint with new releases each month.
For Annie Kramer, the summer before college is bittersweet—both a last hurrah of freedom and the last days she'll spend with her boyfriend, Jack, before they head off to different colleges. So she and her friends plan one final adventure: a houseboating trip on Shasta Lake, complete with booze, romance . . . and an off-limits exploration of the notorious Bull Valley Mine.
The legends of mysterious lights and missing persons on Shasta Lake have been a staple of sleepovers and campouts since Annie was a kid. Full of decrepit bridges that lead to nowhere, railroad tunnels that disappear into the mountains, and terrifying stories of unexplained deaths and bodies that were never recovered, Bull Valley Mine is notorious and frightening—perfect for an epic conclusion to their high school lives.
The trip is fun and light—at first. But when a deranged stranger stumbles upon their campsite, spouting terrifying warnings and pleas for help, it's clear that everyone is in danger. And when their exploration of the mine goes horribly wrong, Annie and her friends quickly discover that the menace of Bull Valley Mine doesn't stay at Shasta Lake—it follows them home.
As one by one her friends fall victim to this mysterious and violent force, Annie must do whatever it takes to discover the ancient secrets of the mine and save her friends . . . if she's not already too late.
Epic Reads Impulse is a digital imprint with new releases each month.
293 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 8, 2016
24 people are currently reading
1033 people want to read
About the author
Gretchen McNeil
20 books2,141 followersGretchen McNeil is the author of the YA horror/suspense novels POSSESS, 3:59, RELIC, GET EVEN, GET DIRTY, and TEN (a YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, a Romantic Times Top Pick, and a Booklist Top Ten Horror Fiction for Youth) all with Balzer + Bray for HarperCollins. Gretchen’s first YA contemporary I’M NOT YOUR MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRL, also with Balzer + Bray, hit shelves in 2016, and her next novel will be the horror-comedy #MURDERTRENDING for Disney/Freeform in August 2018.
Gretchen’s novels have been published internationally in Chinese, Spanish, Turkish, and Czech. The film adaptation of TEN starring China Anne McClain (Descendants 2, Black Lightning), Rome Flynn (The Bold and the Beautiful), and Callan McAuliffe (Flipped, I Am Number Four), directed by Chris Robert for Rain Maker Films, premiered on Lifetime on September 16, 2017.
Gretchen is repped by Ginger Clark of Curtis Brown, Ltd. You can find Gretchen on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and on her website.
Gretchen’s novels have been published internationally in Chinese, Spanish, Turkish, and Czech. The film adaptation of TEN starring China Anne McClain (Descendants 2, Black Lightning), Rome Flynn (The Bold and the Beautiful), and Callan McAuliffe (Flipped, I Am Number Four), directed by Chris Robert for Rain Maker Films, premiered on Lifetime on September 16, 2017.
Gretchen is repped by Ginger Clark of Curtis Brown, Ltd. You can find Gretchen on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and on her website.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
March 8, 2016
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to HarperCollins and Edelweiss.)
This was a YA horror story, with a bit of a non-ending.
The characters in this were all okay, and Annie reacted appropriately when she thought that someone or something was following her – she ran, but personally I wouldn’t have gone exploring an abandoned mine, ghost stories or not.
The storyline in this was about 8 teenagers going into an abandoned mine, getting split up, and then getting followed by some shadows and generally spooked. There was some creepiness whilst this was going on, but it didn’t last long. The rest of the story involved Annie’s friends getting picked off one by one, final destination style, with Annie left speculating who the killer was, and who would be next.
The ending to this was just poor, we did find out who the killer was and why these kids were being killed, but then the story just stopped, with no resolution, and we got ‘The end. Maybe’. This just wasn’t good enough for me, I wanted the killer stopped and a happily ever after of some description.
6 out of 10
“Four tunnels,” Jack says decisively, “eight of us. We’ll split up and see where they lead.”
“Split up?” Sonya asks. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”
This was a YA horror story, with a bit of a non-ending.
The characters in this were all okay, and Annie reacted appropriately when she thought that someone or something was following her – she ran, but personally I wouldn’t have gone exploring an abandoned mine, ghost stories or not.
“No,” Frankie says with an exasperated sigh, She swings around. We came in over there.” Only her flashlight illuminates solid rock.
The storyline in this was about 8 teenagers going into an abandoned mine, getting split up, and then getting followed by some shadows and generally spooked. There was some creepiness whilst this was going on, but it didn’t last long. The rest of the story involved Annie’s friends getting picked off one by one, final destination style, with Annie left speculating who the killer was, and who would be next.
“This isn’t a slasher flick.” Rob laughs. “We’ll be fine.”
The ending to this was just poor, we did find out who the killer was and why these kids were being killed, but then the story just stopped, with no resolution, and we got ‘The end. Maybe’. This just wasn’t good enough for me, I wanted the killer stopped and a happily ever after of some description.
6 out of 10
March 9, 2016
Who says we don't need cannibalism in YA? Not me. And if anyone could tackle the subject, it's Gretchen.
I loved this group of characters and the plot was so deliciously creepy. Every time I thought I had it figured out, there would be a new reveal that would shock me.
Fast paced and eerie, I loved it from the very first page.
**Huge thanks to Harper Teen and Edelweiss for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review**
I loved this group of characters and the plot was so deliciously creepy. Every time I thought I had it figured out, there would be a new reveal that would shock me.
Fast paced and eerie, I loved it from the very first page.
**Huge thanks to Harper Teen and Edelweiss for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review**
Read
March 10, 2016When I was in high school, I loved horror movies. My tastes have changed somewhat - I'm way more of a wimp now - but I was hoping this would be a throwback to those old school teen horror movies, like Halloween, Friday the 13th and Scream.
So ... there's good news and bad news. The good news is that wimpy, scaredy-cat me didn't find this too scary. I'd assumed it was one of those scary stories in which a bunch of kids are trapped somewhere (summer camp, abandoned asylum, etc.) and get picked off one by one. But no - I'd call this a gory mystery more than horror. The murders were interspersed with periods of detection that sort of slowed the pace down. There was intermittent gore, but not really sustained suspense.
The bad news? I didn't connect with the characters. The detecting parts were basically the main character suspecting every other character who wasn't dead yet. The central mystery reminded me of early X-Files - a little corny.
The ending was frustrating and kind of sudden.
For scare value, I thought Ten, McNeil's retelling of Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians, was a better story. But if you enjoyed that, you should also give this a try.
Thanks to the publisher for providing a free advance copy of this book for me to review.
Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
So ... there's good news and bad news. The good news is that wimpy, scaredy-cat me didn't find this too scary. I'd assumed it was one of those scary stories in which a bunch of kids are trapped somewhere (summer camp, abandoned asylum, etc.) and get picked off one by one. But no - I'd call this a gory mystery more than horror. The murders were interspersed with periods of detection that sort of slowed the pace down. There was intermittent gore, but not really sustained suspense.
The bad news? I didn't connect with the characters. The detecting parts were basically the main character suspecting every other character who wasn't dead yet. The central mystery reminded me of early X-Files - a little corny.
The ending was frustrating and kind of sudden.
For scare value, I thought Ten, McNeil's retelling of Agatha Christie's Ten Little Indians, was a better story. But if you enjoyed that, you should also give this a try.
Thanks to the publisher for providing a free advance copy of this book for me to review.
Read more of my reviews on YA Romantics or follow me on Bloglovin
March 17, 2016
Ladies and gentlemen, Gretchen McNeil did it again. She wrote another haunting, creepy book! OK not really recommended if you are having stomach flu like me, because it is kind of gory. But other than that, read this!
I already was looking forward to this book ever since Gretchen McNeil told the world about it on Twitter. It had all the right ingredients.
1) It was written by Gretchen McNeil, and I know that she can write some amazing thriller/horror/creepy books.
2) Horror. I am always looking for a new horror book to enjoy, they aren't always that easy to find, especially a good one.
3) Creepy factor. The sentence she posted with the tweets about her books just lured me in. It was a bit gore (though then again I don't mind gore that much, as long as it isn't TOO much, like you see in English horror movies these days), but it also creeped me out in a good way. It made me want to know what happened. What happened to that guy? Why did this happen to him?
4) Mystery. I just love a good mystery, and combined with horror they make an attractive pair that can work out really well if written well.
A lot of good ingredients, but then I had to wait for it to come out. And it finally did, and boy, it was a trip to remember. Sure, I might have picked a different time to read it. Because it did have gore, and I am still sick (stomach flu, yay. :|), but I just couldn't leave it, I had to read it!
The book starts off all kind and friendly. Annie and her friends just finished High School and are looking forward to starting a new life at college. Before they do that they plan to go for a nice weekend of fun and exploring some old mines (because, heck, why the hell not?). But as the weekend comes, as evening comes, stuff starts to happen. Creepy stuff, and it only gets worse from there on. Really, after that there is not a moment were you will be able to breath. You will just be pulled inside this book, and it won't spit you out until the last shocking reveal near the end!
Annie was a terrific character, though she displayed quite a bit of the good old horror stupidity trope. Oh hey, we had a scary experience, let's not talk about it with anyone all right? Oh people are trying to protect us. Eh, screw that and let us kids handle the stuff.
But I also really liked her. I could imagine her jealousy, though I think she might have taken it a nudge too far at times. Sure, Frankie was annoying, and yes I hated her guts (more on her later), but I feel that what she did was just forming a rift between her and her boyfriend Jack.
And I liked how smart she was, and how hard she tried to work stuff out, because she wanted to help, because she wanted to break whatever was haunting her and her friends.
Jack was also an amazing, sweet character, and I felt sorry for him. Sorry that he had to endure discrimination because of his colour/origins. :| I loved how sweet he was with Annie, and even when she displayed severe cases of jealousy he stuck with her. Tried to comfort her.
I had 2 characters I didn't like. One was Annie's dad, and how he acted, and what he did. I won't say much more, just read the book.
And the other was Frankie. Dear Lord, girl. Get the hint, and move away from the guy. I was just so frustrated with her attitude and behaviour, and I have to be honest, I was kind of hoping she would be the first to well, um, die. :| I know this sounds mean, but this girl just aggravated me throughout the whole book with her flirting with a guy who has a girlfriend. That is just not done.
The book also reminded me a bit of a manga series named Higurashi no Naku Koro ni.. Just a bit reverse. You have the dam, the flooding, the one couple, the couple dies. The same happens in Higurashi. And it is always followed by lots of gruesome deaths, also during the summer.
The whodunnit, or what the creepy monster was that was doing all the murders... well, I had a lot of suspects, but in the end I just settled for one person (of course, I won't mention names) and I was cheering when I had it right at the end. :D
The ending was just epic and brilliant and had me squeeing. Of course, also being creeped out.
I could tell more, but I want to keep it mostly basic, as I want people to find out about all the mystery, all the gruesome facts themselves! Read this one!
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com
I already was looking forward to this book ever since Gretchen McNeil told the world about it on Twitter. It had all the right ingredients.
1) It was written by Gretchen McNeil, and I know that she can write some amazing thriller/horror/creepy books.
2) Horror. I am always looking for a new horror book to enjoy, they aren't always that easy to find, especially a good one.
3) Creepy factor. The sentence she posted with the tweets about her books just lured me in. It was a bit gore (though then again I don't mind gore that much, as long as it isn't TOO much, like you see in English horror movies these days), but it also creeped me out in a good way. It made me want to know what happened. What happened to that guy? Why did this happen to him?
4) Mystery. I just love a good mystery, and combined with horror they make an attractive pair that can work out really well if written well.
A lot of good ingredients, but then I had to wait for it to come out. And it finally did, and boy, it was a trip to remember. Sure, I might have picked a different time to read it. Because it did have gore, and I am still sick (stomach flu, yay. :|), but I just couldn't leave it, I had to read it!
The book starts off all kind and friendly. Annie and her friends just finished High School and are looking forward to starting a new life at college. Before they do that they plan to go for a nice weekend of fun and exploring some old mines (because, heck, why the hell not?). But as the weekend comes, as evening comes, stuff starts to happen. Creepy stuff, and it only gets worse from there on. Really, after that there is not a moment were you will be able to breath. You will just be pulled inside this book, and it won't spit you out until the last shocking reveal near the end!
Annie was a terrific character, though she displayed quite a bit of the good old horror stupidity trope. Oh hey, we had a scary experience, let's not talk about it with anyone all right? Oh people are trying to protect us. Eh, screw that and let us kids handle the stuff.
But I also really liked her. I could imagine her jealousy, though I think she might have taken it a nudge too far at times. Sure, Frankie was annoying, and yes I hated her guts (more on her later), but I feel that what she did was just forming a rift between her and her boyfriend Jack.
And I liked how smart she was, and how hard she tried to work stuff out, because she wanted to help, because she wanted to break whatever was haunting her and her friends.
Jack was also an amazing, sweet character, and I felt sorry for him. Sorry that he had to endure discrimination because of his colour/origins. :| I loved how sweet he was with Annie, and even when she displayed severe cases of jealousy he stuck with her. Tried to comfort her.
I had 2 characters I didn't like. One was Annie's dad, and how he acted, and what he did. I won't say much more, just read the book.
And the other was Frankie. Dear Lord, girl. Get the hint, and move away from the guy. I was just so frustrated with her attitude and behaviour, and I have to be honest, I was kind of hoping she would be the first to well, um, die. :| I know this sounds mean, but this girl just aggravated me throughout the whole book with her flirting with a guy who has a girlfriend. That is just not done.
The book also reminded me a bit of a manga series named Higurashi no Naku Koro ni.. Just a bit reverse. You have the dam, the flooding, the one couple, the couple dies. The same happens in Higurashi. And it is always followed by lots of gruesome deaths, also during the summer.
The whodunnit, or what the creepy monster was that was doing all the murders... well, I had a lot of suspects, but in the end I just settled for one person (of course, I won't mention names) and I was cheering when I had it right at the end. :D
The ending was just epic and brilliant and had me squeeing. Of course, also being creeped out.
I could tell more, but I want to keep it mostly basic, as I want people to find out about all the mystery, all the gruesome facts themselves! Read this one!
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com
December 20, 2021
Trigger warnings: gore, horror, blood, death, death of a friend, gun violence.
I've been meaning to read this for a couple of years now, and it both did and didn't live up to my expectations. There were a TON of truly horrifying deaths and it ended up being way creepier than I anticipated at times. But the deaths came so quickly that ultimately they had very little emotional impact because I barely knew the characters and therefore gave zero fucks about them.
This, in the end, felt reminiscent of an episode of Supernatural. But not early seasons Supernatural where everything was creepy and fun. We're talking mid-to-late seasons Supernatural where the writers have run out of fucks to give and just come up with absolute nonsense. I guessed most of the twists before they happened, but at the same time, I've read worse things. So. There's that.
I've been meaning to read this for a couple of years now, and it both did and didn't live up to my expectations. There were a TON of truly horrifying deaths and it ended up being way creepier than I anticipated at times. But the deaths came so quickly that ultimately they had very little emotional impact because I barely knew the characters and therefore gave zero fucks about them.
This, in the end, felt reminiscent of an episode of Supernatural. But not early seasons Supernatural where everything was creepy and fun. We're talking mid-to-late seasons Supernatural where the writers have run out of fucks to give and just come up with absolute nonsense. I guessed most of the twists before they happened, but at the same time, I've read worse things. So. There's that.
August 13, 2016
I was needing a good horror novel and Relic did a great job and boy did the ending surprise me!
It has the makings of a good syfy movie with a group of teens who think they are untouchable. You have the cocky guys, the trashy girl you always hope gets killed, the cutsy couple, the quiet one, etc. They have just graduated and are wanting to do something wild with no regrets.
They decide to spend that time exploring an old mine that is off limits. They were even told by the lake patrol to leave it alone. Annie should know better because her father is the Sheriff, but of course, that is why she wants to do something a bit wild.
They all go in the mine but strange things happen when they are in there and they all get separated but all make it out. The only thing is, is whatever was in that mine seems to follow them home and one by one something happens to Annie's friends.
She knows it has something to do with the mine so she tries her best to figure out what it is and how to stop whatever it is before all her friends are killed.
Relic was a face paced and interesting YA Horror and I don't get many of those. This one was even a little gruesome. I didn't find it to be really scary but it was creepy and when I was reading it before bed that made it even a bit more creepy...lol.
Not all the characters were likable but I think that was for the best because then you don't mind something happening to them. There was one that I was ready to off within the first couple minutes of them being at the campsite...lol. Even though Annie wasn't really relatable to me and at times I didn't even like her I still found the story to be very interesting.
It really kept me guessing as to what was going on and who or what was responsible which I really liked.
Overall, if you like YA novels and horror type books then you might like this one. It's my second book by this author and my favorite out of the two.
It has the makings of a good syfy movie with a group of teens who think they are untouchable. You have the cocky guys, the trashy girl you always hope gets killed, the cutsy couple, the quiet one, etc. They have just graduated and are wanting to do something wild with no regrets.
They decide to spend that time exploring an old mine that is off limits. They were even told by the lake patrol to leave it alone. Annie should know better because her father is the Sheriff, but of course, that is why she wants to do something a bit wild.
They all go in the mine but strange things happen when they are in there and they all get separated but all make it out. The only thing is, is whatever was in that mine seems to follow them home and one by one something happens to Annie's friends.
She knows it has something to do with the mine so she tries her best to figure out what it is and how to stop whatever it is before all her friends are killed.
Relic was a face paced and interesting YA Horror and I don't get many of those. This one was even a little gruesome. I didn't find it to be really scary but it was creepy and when I was reading it before bed that made it even a bit more creepy...lol.
Not all the characters were likable but I think that was for the best because then you don't mind something happening to them. There was one that I was ready to off within the first couple minutes of them being at the campsite...lol. Even though Annie wasn't really relatable to me and at times I didn't even like her I still found the story to be very interesting.
It really kept me guessing as to what was going on and who or what was responsible which I really liked.
Overall, if you like YA novels and horror type books then you might like this one. It's my second book by this author and my favorite out of the two.
June 17, 2017
This book reads just like countless horror movies I've watched, which at first was a good thing, but like many horror movies it ended as a big disappointment. For starters the "twist" couldn't have been easier to see if there had been a big flashing neon sign pointing to it. Word of advice to horror authors, I'm not someone whose horror has to be constantly innovative, but at least don't be as predictable as this book was. I also hated Annie's solution in the end, And to actually finish the book with the words "The End. Maybe." Was so ridiculous, it's not a Goosebumps book. All of this isn't even delving into the fact that none of these kids reacted even slightly normally to their friends dying. Annie and Jack didn't even think to mention to their other friends that one of them had been killed until a whole day later, and none of them seemed very upset about it even then. This book was just bad from a lot of different angles.
October 22, 2016
I know this is horror, and there's always going to be a layer of mystery, but I have no idea what I just read. I kind of liked Annie, kind of didn't, and the same goes for Jack and the rest of the characters. I kind of liked the threat and creepy murders, kind of tired of them, and the end was just odd. If you love the genre, you'll probably love this. I will say it's a quick read, and I like the element of the mine, but I'm not sure I liked the rest.
October 22, 2018
I finally, finally read Gretchen McNeil's Relic! It's novella length, longer than a short story and shorter than a novel and it's the perfect creepy, horror read for Halloween! It was a story I wasn't expecting to hit me the way it did, it was totally surprising and shocking! I will admit to still being a tad confused with the history and lore of the legend within the story, but I blame that for stretching out the reading of this one to over a week long due to a vacation.
Annie and her friends and boyfriend decide for their last summer together before heading off the college they would take a trip to the legendary mines. Bully Valley Mines isn't a place people go to, in fact, it's really forbidden to go there because of all the strange and dangerous things that have taken place there over the years, but naturally, the teenagers decide to forgo the rules and do what they want. The majority of them don't really believe in the curse anyway.
After an eerie encounter with a strange man the night before, they are almost scared off from their trip, but they all persevere and head there anyway. Strange things happen in the mine when they get separated, but it's not long before they all find their way out and head home.
Then the first body is found...that of the man that accosted them, one who's mummified body is claimed to be years old, though it was very much a lively body when they saw it. And that is only the beginning of the horrors to come. Soon Annie realizes something very, very strange and wrong is occurring when the next bodies that start dropping are those of her friends.
Annie is the only one who seems to believe that the curse they all wrote off is real and if she doesn't figure out a way to stop it, there's no telling who else she might lose. It will be up to her to save what friends she has left.
Wow. Just wow! This story was pretty intense! There was a heavy creep factor going on and yet, at the same time it was very mysterious because you couldn't quite pin down what was happening. Was it supernatural in nature or a simple madman-psychopath going on a killing spree? It's hard to say considering Gretchen's previous works! Lol! And that's what I loved about this one!
I didn't realize that Relic was already over two years old, nearing its third "birthday" in March and just whoa! Because that ending was just slightly teasing. Is there more story to tell? Since it's been almost three years, I am kind of leaning towards the no, but you never truly know with authors! Needless to say that this bizarrely twisted and creepy read was a perfect choice for Halloween reading time! If you like a good creepy book that keeps you guessing long past its finale, then this is definitely one you will want to check out asap!
Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars
Annie and her friends and boyfriend decide for their last summer together before heading off the college they would take a trip to the legendary mines. Bully Valley Mines isn't a place people go to, in fact, it's really forbidden to go there because of all the strange and dangerous things that have taken place there over the years, but naturally, the teenagers decide to forgo the rules and do what they want. The majority of them don't really believe in the curse anyway.
After an eerie encounter with a strange man the night before, they are almost scared off from their trip, but they all persevere and head there anyway. Strange things happen in the mine when they get separated, but it's not long before they all find their way out and head home.
Then the first body is found...that of the man that accosted them, one who's mummified body is claimed to be years old, though it was very much a lively body when they saw it. And that is only the beginning of the horrors to come. Soon Annie realizes something very, very strange and wrong is occurring when the next bodies that start dropping are those of her friends.
Annie is the only one who seems to believe that the curse they all wrote off is real and if she doesn't figure out a way to stop it, there's no telling who else she might lose. It will be up to her to save what friends she has left.
Wow. Just wow! This story was pretty intense! There was a heavy creep factor going on and yet, at the same time it was very mysterious because you couldn't quite pin down what was happening. Was it supernatural in nature or a simple madman-psychopath going on a killing spree? It's hard to say considering Gretchen's previous works! Lol! And that's what I loved about this one!
I didn't realize that Relic was already over two years old, nearing its third "birthday" in March and just whoa! Because that ending was just slightly teasing. Is there more story to tell? Since it's been almost three years, I am kind of leaning towards the no, but you never truly know with authors! Needless to say that this bizarrely twisted and creepy read was a perfect choice for Halloween reading time! If you like a good creepy book that keeps you guessing long past its finale, then this is definitely one you will want to check out asap!
Overall Rating 4.5/5 stars
December 6, 2017
Maybe 3.5. It’s a teen horror story, with a supernatural twist. A perfect quick, and exciting, read for a winter’s night or a holiday flight. I did not figure out the plot twist, which was a nice surprise but but I’m not sure how I felt about the ending. It wasn’t overly young adult and was a little gory. Good fun!
February 16, 2021
Read: February 2021
Genre: YA Horror
Length: 293
Time Read In: 3 Days
Swearing: Not too many. Mostly this book maybe me feel meh
Spoilers: Yup, yup, yup
So, if you’ve read my reviews before you know that most of the time, I read/listen to books with Overdrive. It is a fantastic little app that allows you to read/listen to books FOR FREE with the use of your public library card. I really suggest it to anyone who will listen. It helps you avoid spending money on books that will just disappoint you. And, sure, sometimes there’s a wait list but it’s definitely worth it. Especially when you’re reading books like this!
YA Horror can be hard to do. It’s basically the PG-13 rating for literature, which as all horror fans know, can effectively kill the horror with even the greatest of writers. Not that I would consider McNeil the “greatest of writers”.
All of these characters fill your usual, stereotypical horror movie cliches. You have: the jealous MC whose convinced her boyfriend is cheating with no proof and no reason. The perfect boyfriend, who has no other characteristics than “perfect”. The rich, slutty bitch who wants the perfect boyfriend because, hello, he’s perfect. The goody good. The conspiracy theorist. The “we’re going to have a good last hooray before college!”. Gay - or in this case, lesbian. And I want to sleep with the rich slut. All of these characters are so cliche and mind numbingly stupid. Our MC is a jealous and childish whineass who constantly puts herself and friends at risk because she’s afraid that her boyfriend will sleep with his ex. Which reminds me, what does anyone see in Frankie anyway? She’s rude and overall terrible with no redeeming quality. Maybe its because I fall more on the biromantic/asexual side of things, but I don’t think that I would ever want to sleep with someone like that. Also, can we please stop promoting to young girls that they need to hate the person who used to date their boyfriend? Or that they need to hate on any girl in general due to looks or sexual activity? Stop promoting hate. Its not normal and it's gross.
Speaking of characters, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. You don’t get diversity points for having cardboard cutouts for characters. Sorrynotsorry. Just because you tell me you have a variety of races and sexual orientations in a group doesn’t mean you have diversity. In order to have diversity, you have to have real characters. Reminding us that Rob (I think it’s Rob, but I’m too lazy to actually check) is Asian at random points but giving Rob ZERO characteristics other than snarky and giving him no character growth is not giving me a diverse cast. It's giving me someone who wants to make sure that they’re hitting the “diversity quota” in order to avoid the SJW.
Also - unsurprisingly - bury your gays. Here’s my middle finger, McNeil. You can have that.
The pacing of this book is fucking atrocious. There’s this weird thing that people do where they think that if they drag things out, they’re building tension and suspense. They aren’t. They ruin the flow and pacing of the book. It’s so slow and nothing happens. Even the murders are boring and glossed over. . Honestly, that’s what ruined the pacing of this book the most. Annie’s constant insecurity and how everything goes right back to how her boyfriend is probably sleeping with his ex. Even though she has NO EVIDENCE. If your friends were being picked off one by one and you think you might be next, do you really think you’d be that concerned with who your boyfriend is sleeping with?
There are so many cliches in this book. MC’s mom died of cancer. Dad’s an alcoholic cop. Dad hates the boyfriend and blames him for everything. The lesbian is obsessed with trying to get the hottest girl in school.
So, I am no longer a teenager. In fact I haven’t been a teenager in about six years. That being said, I really hate - and always have hated - when teenagers think they can solve a murder mystery. Like I get that they're the main characters so cops are obvi useless, but christ do I hate this trope. DO NOT INVOLVE YOURSELF IN A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION UNLESS YOU ARE A TRAINED INVESTIGATOR. This isn't Nancy Drew and the case of the missing pencil.
Annie is not a character that I rooted for. She was annoying, whiney, pigheaded, and fucking stupid. Being in her head was annoying and I FORCED myself to read this because I want to hit my book count for 2021. It was not enjoyable and skimmed so much because she was so annoying.
I honestly couldn't figure out who the killer was. But that isn’t a pro of this book. Instead it was annoying. I wasn't searching for clues in the subtext, I could barely keep track of the characters. There are too many and they're all useless. Annie's constant "OMG, X IS THE KILLER" did little to help. Because she thought that about literally EVERY character.
There's such a lack of emotion whenever Annie finds her dead friends. Like, she cries and that's it. If you're going to write in first person and have someone find a friend/lover/family member dead, you need to make me feel it. Annie never does. In fact, there’s a lack of emotion everywhere. Annie reads like a robot. She knows what she’s supposed to feel but is physically unable to feel it.
God I fucking hate the twist. I hate it. It isn't earned, it isn't shocking, it isn't anything. Because I don't care about Annie. I literally feel nothing for her. This is such an unearned and stupid twist that I could throw up. If you're going to do something like this, you need to earn it. You need to make your readers care. For any of you who don’t want to have to finish reading it, That’s it. That’s your bland, uninspired twist. And, here’s the thing: plot twists do not need to shock your reader. They should, however, make everything you’ve been building toward much more enjoyable. This twist didn’t do that. There was no build up. No clues. The author didn’t want to enhance your experience, she just wanted to shock you.
"THE END. MAYBE" - What the fuck even is that? The ending to this book is too sudden. None of this is earned. Ugh, this book is just so ugh.
Overall, I honestly don’t recommend this book. It honestly isn’t even a horror book because there’s no horror to it. This reads like a bad PG-13 movie. Everyone is predictable and bland. There were no surprises. I don’t think reading a horror novel should ever be boring and, yet, this was one. It was so boring, infact, that I skimmed at least a good 40-60% of this book. Which was mostly Annie whining about how Jack wants to sleep with Frankie. Why is it so much to ask for writers to craft characters I care about. Because that is honestly this book’s biggest flaw, I think I’ve said it before and I will say it again: I will forgive a shitty plot if I have characters I care about. And, that’s probably just a me thing. But, if I care about the characters, I care about what happens to them. That means, in a horror novel, I am legitimately concerned for them and horrified when they are brutally murdered.
If you want a slow burn, tense monster horror that leaves you looking over your shoulder at night, go play Until Dawn because you most certainly will not find that with this book. At this point, I should probably stop trying with YA horror but I guess I like to complain.
Genre: YA Horror
Length: 293
Time Read In: 3 Days
Swearing: Not too many. Mostly this book maybe me feel meh
Spoilers: Yup, yup, yup
So, if you’ve read my reviews before you know that most of the time, I read/listen to books with Overdrive. It is a fantastic little app that allows you to read/listen to books FOR FREE with the use of your public library card. I really suggest it to anyone who will listen. It helps you avoid spending money on books that will just disappoint you. And, sure, sometimes there’s a wait list but it’s definitely worth it. Especially when you’re reading books like this!
YA Horror can be hard to do. It’s basically the PG-13 rating for literature, which as all horror fans know, can effectively kill the horror with even the greatest of writers. Not that I would consider McNeil the “greatest of writers”.
All of these characters fill your usual, stereotypical horror movie cliches. You have: the jealous MC whose convinced her boyfriend is cheating with no proof and no reason. The perfect boyfriend, who has no other characteristics than “perfect”. The rich, slutty bitch who wants the perfect boyfriend because, hello, he’s perfect. The goody good. The conspiracy theorist. The “we’re going to have a good last hooray before college!”. Gay - or in this case, lesbian. And I want to sleep with the rich slut. All of these characters are so cliche and mind numbingly stupid. Our MC is a jealous and childish whineass who constantly puts herself and friends at risk because she’s afraid that her boyfriend will sleep with his ex. Which reminds me, what does anyone see in Frankie anyway? She’s rude and overall terrible with no redeeming quality. Maybe its because I fall more on the biromantic/asexual side of things, but I don’t think that I would ever want to sleep with someone like that. Also, can we please stop promoting to young girls that they need to hate the person who used to date their boyfriend? Or that they need to hate on any girl in general due to looks or sexual activity? Stop promoting hate. Its not normal and it's gross.
Speaking of characters, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. You don’t get diversity points for having cardboard cutouts for characters. Sorrynotsorry. Just because you tell me you have a variety of races and sexual orientations in a group doesn’t mean you have diversity. In order to have diversity, you have to have real characters. Reminding us that Rob (I think it’s Rob, but I’m too lazy to actually check) is Asian at random points but giving Rob ZERO characteristics other than snarky and giving him no character growth is not giving me a diverse cast. It's giving me someone who wants to make sure that they’re hitting the “diversity quota” in order to avoid the SJW.
Also - unsurprisingly - bury your gays. Here’s my middle finger, McNeil. You can have that.
The pacing of this book is fucking atrocious. There’s this weird thing that people do where they think that if they drag things out, they’re building tension and suspense. They aren’t. They ruin the flow and pacing of the book. It’s so slow and nothing happens. Even the murders are boring and glossed over. . Honestly, that’s what ruined the pacing of this book the most. Annie’s constant insecurity and how everything goes right back to how her boyfriend is probably sleeping with his ex. Even though she has NO EVIDENCE. If your friends were being picked off one by one and you think you might be next, do you really think you’d be that concerned with who your boyfriend is sleeping with?
There are so many cliches in this book. MC’s mom died of cancer. Dad’s an alcoholic cop. Dad hates the boyfriend and blames him for everything. The lesbian is obsessed with trying to get the hottest girl in school.
So, I am no longer a teenager. In fact I haven’t been a teenager in about six years. That being said, I really hate - and always have hated - when teenagers think they can solve a murder mystery. Like I get that they're the main characters so cops are obvi useless, but christ do I hate this trope. DO NOT INVOLVE YOURSELF IN A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION UNLESS YOU ARE A TRAINED INVESTIGATOR. This isn't Nancy Drew and the case of the missing pencil.
Annie is not a character that I rooted for. She was annoying, whiney, pigheaded, and fucking stupid. Being in her head was annoying and I FORCED myself to read this because I want to hit my book count for 2021. It was not enjoyable and skimmed so much because she was so annoying.
I honestly couldn't figure out who the killer was. But that isn’t a pro of this book. Instead it was annoying. I wasn't searching for clues in the subtext, I could barely keep track of the characters. There are too many and they're all useless. Annie's constant "OMG, X IS THE KILLER" did little to help. Because she thought that about literally EVERY character.
There's such a lack of emotion whenever Annie finds her dead friends. Like, she cries and that's it. If you're going to write in first person and have someone find a friend/lover/family member dead, you need to make me feel it. Annie never does. In fact, there’s a lack of emotion everywhere. Annie reads like a robot. She knows what she’s supposed to feel but is physically unable to feel it.
God I fucking hate the twist. I hate it. It isn't earned, it isn't shocking, it isn't anything. Because I don't care about Annie. I literally feel nothing for her. This is such an unearned and stupid twist that I could throw up. If you're going to do something like this, you need to earn it. You need to make your readers care. For any of you who don’t want to have to finish reading it, That’s it. That’s your bland, uninspired twist. And, here’s the thing: plot twists do not need to shock your reader. They should, however, make everything you’ve been building toward much more enjoyable. This twist didn’t do that. There was no build up. No clues. The author didn’t want to enhance your experience, she just wanted to shock you.
"THE END. MAYBE" - What the fuck even is that? The ending to this book is too sudden. None of this is earned. Ugh, this book is just so ugh.
Overall, I honestly don’t recommend this book. It honestly isn’t even a horror book because there’s no horror to it. This reads like a bad PG-13 movie. Everyone is predictable and bland. There were no surprises. I don’t think reading a horror novel should ever be boring and, yet, this was one. It was so boring, infact, that I skimmed at least a good 40-60% of this book. Which was mostly Annie whining about how Jack wants to sleep with Frankie. Why is it so much to ask for writers to craft characters I care about. Because that is honestly this book’s biggest flaw, I think I’ve said it before and I will say it again: I will forgive a shitty plot if I have characters I care about. And, that’s probably just a me thing. But, if I care about the characters, I care about what happens to them. That means, in a horror novel, I am legitimately concerned for them and horrified when they are brutally murdered.
If you want a slow burn, tense monster horror that leaves you looking over your shoulder at night, go play Until Dawn because you most certainly will not find that with this book. At this point, I should probably stop trying with YA horror but I guess I like to complain.
October 19, 2016
This was interesting. Full review soon!
Merged review:
Merged review:
This book has one hell of a twist I didn’t see coming.
I was totally wrong about everything. I didn’t realize how much this book would get to me until a few days later.
Relic reminds me of a SyFy movie, I love horror Syfy movies so this was actually perfect.
I loved the characters but I didn’t connect with them until after I finished the book, I know that sounds really strange, it’s hard to explain.
I really thought I knew who was doing it but was not expecting that ending.
The story is very interesting and super creepy, I loved all the background stories.
As much as I didn’t connect with all the characters I actually really liked Annie the MC.
Gretchen McNeil can really write a good scary story. The characters remind me of her Get Even series, I also had connection issued but actually enjoyed them.
This is a great read and I am glad the end is left sort of open for a second book. I really hope it does have a second book. I recommend this if you are looking for something to give you goosebumps at night with lots of twist, unexpected moments and something to think about for the next few days, it really gets in your head when you REALLY think about what happened.
Thanks for stopping by to check out my review.
Have a great day and Happy Reading!
This review was originally posted on Because reading is better than real life
March 11, 2016
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book, or my review itself.
Relic centers around Annie, our narrator, and her boyfriend and their group of friends. They have just graduated high school, and are determined to have a summer of "no regrets" before they separate to attend college. To this end, they lie to their parents, and sneak out to an island to drink and explore the mysterious mines.
This book has a lot of characters and scenarios that have been seen in many books before. There is the strong but insecure main female character, who loves her boyfriend but isn't ready to "go all the way", the ex-girlfriend who is gorgeous but mean, the best friend who worries all the time, the conspiracy theorist who can always score good drugs...
But where McNeil makes her book stand out is the well plotted out mystery and horror that accompany these characters after their ill-fated island trip. After the first few chapters, there is almost constant tension and suspense about just what exactly is going on, and if it can be stopped.
Relic sometimes veers over into overly dramatic territory, with the group of friends concerned that if they don't go all out this summer, one of them may suffer a breakdown in college because they don't know how to be independent and have rule-breaking fun. The romances can also seem a little forced and out of place with all the murder and mayhem happening around them.
But despite its flaws, Relic is a quick, gripping read. McNeil seems to be growing as a writer from her earlier works, and I look forward to seeing what comes next.
Relic centers around Annie, our narrator, and her boyfriend and their group of friends. They have just graduated high school, and are determined to have a summer of "no regrets" before they separate to attend college. To this end, they lie to their parents, and sneak out to an island to drink and explore the mysterious mines.
This book has a lot of characters and scenarios that have been seen in many books before. There is the strong but insecure main female character, who loves her boyfriend but isn't ready to "go all the way", the ex-girlfriend who is gorgeous but mean, the best friend who worries all the time, the conspiracy theorist who can always score good drugs...
But where McNeil makes her book stand out is the well plotted out mystery and horror that accompany these characters after their ill-fated island trip. After the first few chapters, there is almost constant tension and suspense about just what exactly is going on, and if it can be stopped.
Relic sometimes veers over into overly dramatic territory, with the group of friends concerned that if they don't go all out this summer, one of them may suffer a breakdown in college because they don't know how to be independent and have rule-breaking fun. The romances can also seem a little forced and out of place with all the murder and mayhem happening around them.
But despite its flaws, Relic is a quick, gripping read. McNeil seems to be growing as a writer from her earlier works, and I look forward to seeing what comes next.
December 11, 2017
Such a fan of McNeil, but this one didn't do it for me. I loved the twist towards the end (saw it coming though!) but overall, felt it was way too slow, and more than a couple of chapters and events seem unnecessary to trudge through
Read
May 18, 2016Okay, so I was really excited about this book. However, I wasn't aware it was a ya book involving cannibalism. Not my thing. DNF.
October 8, 2016
Exciting
Quick paced read from beginning to end. Highly recommend to those looking for a modern horror story. An excellent read!
Quick paced read from beginning to end. Highly recommend to those looking for a modern horror story. An excellent read!
October 25, 2017
Annie Kramer vows to have no regrets the summer before going off to college. She has no idea if she and her boyfriend Jack will be together in a few months, but she'll enjoy it while she can despite the fact that his ex Frankie will not leave them alone. To go with her newfound philosphy, she and her friends decide to have a boat party and explore the abandoned mines for some fun and mischief. Things go a little more serious than planned when Annie is attacked by a delirious man, the cops come by, and everyone gets lost in the mines. Everyone makes it out and leaves, chalking it up to disorientation, but the next day, a mummified man is discovered that wasn't there the night before. Something is seriously wrong and Annie and her friends need to find out what before it catches up to them.
Relic is a dark horror teen novel that goes darker than I thought it would venture. The book excels in its characters, the mythology of the creature, and the mystery. All of the characters are well rounded. Annie lost her mother and has to deal with her oppressive father cheating and self medicating with alcohol. Being a cop, he has high standards for her behavior, disapproves of Jack for basically racist reasons. All of this makes her rebellious behavior make sense especially on the cusp of leaving her childhood home. Her insecurity bothered me, especially when she blamed her own shortcomings on Frankie instead of working on seeing her own self worth. Frankie herself is a catty, jealous person who is also intelligent and discerning, able to keep a cool head in tough situations. She's obnoxious and obviously wants to get back with Jack, but everyone except Annie puts their personal drama aside when people start dying. This is especially refreshing because the romantic rival can be reduced to a flat character with no other motivation.
The monster released from the disorienting caves isn't a vampire or werewolf. It's called the Amanet, an ancient Wintu mythological creature come for revenge. The Amanet goes after those who disturbed its resting place, eating their organs and attempting to cover its tracks. It's only real weakness seems to be salt. The mythology should have been more fleshed out. Salt is a typical weakness of supernatural creatures, but why with this one? Why were the caves changing so drastically? I like the concept of a human housing the creature, but it's a bit too similar to both 90's Mummy movies and I Am Not a Serial Killer. The kills are surprisingly gruesome for a teen book and everything plays out very similar to a slasher film with a twist at the end. I found the book a little too steeped in horror tropes when it could have been something really special with the rarely seen creature.
Relic is a fast teen thriller that pushes the envelope with its violence and stays rooted in horror tropes. While the characters are engaging and the kills are well done, the book is missing quite a few elements I would have wanted, like a fleshed out mythology and aspects that are less typical to the genre. It was a fast and enjoyable read, but I don't see myself revisiting it.
Relic is a dark horror teen novel that goes darker than I thought it would venture. The book excels in its characters, the mythology of the creature, and the mystery. All of the characters are well rounded. Annie lost her mother and has to deal with her oppressive father cheating and self medicating with alcohol. Being a cop, he has high standards for her behavior, disapproves of Jack for basically racist reasons. All of this makes her rebellious behavior make sense especially on the cusp of leaving her childhood home. Her insecurity bothered me, especially when she blamed her own shortcomings on Frankie instead of working on seeing her own self worth. Frankie herself is a catty, jealous person who is also intelligent and discerning, able to keep a cool head in tough situations. She's obnoxious and obviously wants to get back with Jack, but everyone except Annie puts their personal drama aside when people start dying. This is especially refreshing because the romantic rival can be reduced to a flat character with no other motivation.
The monster released from the disorienting caves isn't a vampire or werewolf. It's called the Amanet, an ancient Wintu mythological creature come for revenge. The Amanet goes after those who disturbed its resting place, eating their organs and attempting to cover its tracks. It's only real weakness seems to be salt. The mythology should have been more fleshed out. Salt is a typical weakness of supernatural creatures, but why with this one? Why were the caves changing so drastically? I like the concept of a human housing the creature, but it's a bit too similar to both 90's Mummy movies and I Am Not a Serial Killer. The kills are surprisingly gruesome for a teen book and everything plays out very similar to a slasher film with a twist at the end. I found the book a little too steeped in horror tropes when it could have been something really special with the rarely seen creature.
Relic is a fast teen thriller that pushes the envelope with its violence and stays rooted in horror tropes. While the characters are engaging and the kills are well done, the book is missing quite a few elements I would have wanted, like a fleshed out mythology and aspects that are less typical to the genre. It was a fast and enjoyable read, but I don't see myself revisiting it.
October 10, 2019
3 stars! Another book I waited to read until October (for maximum spooks), “Relic” fell a bit short of my expectations but ticked a bunch of Halloween-y boxes so I enjoyed it overall. A bunch of seniors want to explore an abandoned mine as a last hurrah before they all go off to separate colleges in the fall but supernatural scares and serial murders plague their every step.
I like that even though Gretchen McNeil writes YA, she doesn’t pare down the gore and horror aspects to a childish degree. The stakes feel real and the murder scenes are particularly gross and affecting. Less well done are the group of teens’ personalities. There’s so dang many of them in their little group and so few of them are given any sort of defining or recognizable characteristics that when they start biting it one by one you don’t care that much. The supernatural aspect was kinda cool even if some parts of it felt underdeveloped and confusing. The third act twist is heavily telegraphed from almost the beginning so the reveal doesn’t feel as satisfying as it could have been. The ending (or the lack their of) felt abrupt and a bit of a cop out but it aids to the tragedy and mystery surrounding the supernatural entity so I get why it had to be that way.
I like Gretchen McNeill and while this was probably my least favorite of her books, I still plan on checking out the rest of her catalogue!
I like that even though Gretchen McNeil writes YA, she doesn’t pare down the gore and horror aspects to a childish degree. The stakes feel real and the murder scenes are particularly gross and affecting. Less well done are the group of teens’ personalities. There’s so dang many of them in their little group and so few of them are given any sort of defining or recognizable characteristics that when they start biting it one by one you don’t care that much. The supernatural aspect was kinda cool even if some parts of it felt underdeveloped and confusing. The third act twist is heavily telegraphed from almost the beginning so the reveal doesn’t feel as satisfying as it could have been. The ending (or the lack their of) felt abrupt and a bit of a cop out but it aids to the tragedy and mystery surrounding the supernatural entity so I get why it had to be that way.
I like Gretchen McNeill and while this was probably my least favorite of her books, I still plan on checking out the rest of her catalogue!
September 30, 2018
2 Stars cuz honestly, it just reminded me too much of Until Dawn.
And I like Until Dawn better because I can actually sympathize with the characters whereas in this I couldn't really care less about the characters.
Honestly, my mind screamed Wendigo the whole time because, c'mon, that's a Wendigo. Either that or a Skinwalker.
I was interested in learning about the creature, the Anamet. I could only find one variation of the same story when I looked up Wintu legends, which described the creature as a kidnapper of children, most often taking the form of a human. So I'm thinking that Anamet is the Wintu version of a Wendigo. Correct me if I'm wrong, I don't know too much about Native American folklore.
Characterization was bad. As in there was none. All there really was was a lot of whining and dying, I couldn't even be sad cuz I knew nothing about these characters. I didn't care about any of them.
I liked the identity of the killer, even if I knew who it was I liked the idea enough that I would have disliked the book if I had been wrong. But to be perfectly honest that was the only part I liked.
<3 Avery The Librarian's Daughter <3
And I like Until Dawn better because I can actually sympathize with the characters whereas in this I couldn't really care less about the characters.
Honestly, my mind screamed Wendigo the whole time because, c'mon, that's a Wendigo. Either that or a Skinwalker.
I was interested in learning about the creature, the Anamet. I could only find one variation of the same story when I looked up Wintu legends, which described the creature as a kidnapper of children, most often taking the form of a human. So I'm thinking that Anamet is the Wintu version of a Wendigo. Correct me if I'm wrong, I don't know too much about Native American folklore.
Characterization was bad. As in there was none. All there really was was a lot of whining and dying, I couldn't even be sad cuz I knew nothing about these characters. I didn't care about any of them.
I liked the identity of the killer, even if I knew who it was I liked the idea enough that I would have disliked the book if I had been wrong. But to be perfectly honest that was the only part I liked.
<3 Avery The Librarian's Daughter <3
June 25, 2018
Generally, Gretchen McNeil has cornered the market in loving homages to Christopher Pike and the Point Horror books - not hugely original but with winning characters, high-action plots, the odd romance and occasionally a great twist. Relic has none of those things. Clunky from the off, it's incredibly predictable, has a cast of unlikable characters and tries hard yet falls short of any real creepiness. Wondering if it was my adult sensibilities that were putting me off, I asked a couple of teens to read it and they were largely unimpressed (although I have since had them both read the same author's Ten, which they loved). By all means pick up other titles by this author - they are generally incredibly good fun - but avoid Relic and it's trite, predictable storytelling if you want to avoid disappointment.
September 4, 2018
I’m disappointed in this book. I read the novel Ten, by the author, a while ago, and I really liked that one. It was a fun, quick, YA murder mystery. Unfortunately, this book is not as well thought out. It started out as promising: a bunch of teens who graduated high school are breaking the rules to explore the cavern by their house- but after the exploration, my interest faded. It’s an odd supernatural force that is hunting the teens, but it is very far-fetched and cheesy. Bummer.
June 8, 2020
Not overly impressed with this book.
I could see the twist coming from the very start, which is always bad when its supposed to be a shock.
The characters are cliche, the story is predictable and a sheriff that chooses not to stop the killer because of who it is just doesn’t work for me.
I could see the twist coming from the very start, which is always bad when its supposed to be a shock.
The characters are cliche, the story is predictable and a sheriff that chooses not to stop the killer because of who it is just doesn’t work for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2020
I'm disappointing with this one. I loved #murdertrending by the same author but this one wasn't it for me. I liked the beginning and the middle of the book, the scenes in the mine were creepy. But the ending wasn't very good.
October 2, 2019
Rating: 3.5
October 8, 2022
Relic
Interesting concept. I've read books like it but this one had a twist. I like that the author doesn't just go with the predictable story. I enjoyed the story.
Interesting concept. I've read books like it but this one had a twist. I like that the author doesn't just go with the predictable story. I enjoyed the story.
March 9, 2016
For Annie Kramer, the summer before college is bittersweet—both a last hurrah of freedom and the last days she'll spend with her boyfriend, Jack, before they head off to different colleges. So she and her friends plan one final adventure: a houseboating trip on Shasta Lake, complete with booze, romance . . . and an off-limits exploration of the notorious Bull Valley Mine.
The legends of mysterious lights and missing persons on Shasta Lake have been a staple of sleepovers and campouts since Annie was a kid. Full of decrepit bridges that lead to nowhere, railroad tunnels that disappear into the mountains, and terrifying stories of unexplained deaths and bodies that were never recovered, Bull Valley Mine is notorious and frightening—perfect for an epic conclusion to their high school lives.
The trip is fun and light—at first. But when a deranged stranger stumbles upon their campsite, spouting terrifying warnings and pleas for help, it's clear that everyone is in danger. And when their exploration of the mine goes horribly wrong, Annie and her friends quickly discover that the menace of Bull Valley Mine doesn't stay at Shasta Lake—it follows them home. As one by one her friends fall victim to this mysterious and violent force, Annie must do whatever it takes to discover the ancient secrets of the mine and save her friends . . . if she's not already too late.
When I first read the blurb, I thought it was a slasher-fic with some cursed object or something, and I was close to that. It has mystery, horror and gore, coupled with great writing and a good plot. I should also mention that I was actually scared to read the horror parts in the dark; it was terrifying how realistic the writing was. While the main aspect is the mystery of the mine itself and how the group goes about solving it, the horror part of the book reigns supreme. Once you figure out the mystery, it becomes predictable, but the real enjoyment is in how the book renders itself in your head. And even though I thought slashers are cliches in movies, it works really well as a mystery book. Only issue is, there is not much character development, what with the gruesome death toll of the book. Not for the faint-hearted, but it has to be experienced simply for the horror.
Received a free galley from Epic Reads Impulse, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
The legends of mysterious lights and missing persons on Shasta Lake have been a staple of sleepovers and campouts since Annie was a kid. Full of decrepit bridges that lead to nowhere, railroad tunnels that disappear into the mountains, and terrifying stories of unexplained deaths and bodies that were never recovered, Bull Valley Mine is notorious and frightening—perfect for an epic conclusion to their high school lives.
The trip is fun and light—at first. But when a deranged stranger stumbles upon their campsite, spouting terrifying warnings and pleas for help, it's clear that everyone is in danger. And when their exploration of the mine goes horribly wrong, Annie and her friends quickly discover that the menace of Bull Valley Mine doesn't stay at Shasta Lake—it follows them home. As one by one her friends fall victim to this mysterious and violent force, Annie must do whatever it takes to discover the ancient secrets of the mine and save her friends . . . if she's not already too late.
When I first read the blurb, I thought it was a slasher-fic with some cursed object or something, and I was close to that. It has mystery, horror and gore, coupled with great writing and a good plot. I should also mention that I was actually scared to read the horror parts in the dark; it was terrifying how realistic the writing was. While the main aspect is the mystery of the mine itself and how the group goes about solving it, the horror part of the book reigns supreme. Once you figure out the mystery, it becomes predictable, but the real enjoyment is in how the book renders itself in your head. And even though I thought slashers are cliches in movies, it works really well as a mystery book. Only issue is, there is not much character development, what with the gruesome death toll of the book. Not for the faint-hearted, but it has to be experienced simply for the horror.
Received a free galley from Epic Reads Impulse, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
August 5, 2018
This is the 3rd novel I have read of Mcneil's! "Ten," is still my fav but,"Relic," was good! I love that this author doesn't shy away from gore and that NO ONE is safe. It gives an unpredictability that I like when I read horror! I mostly read adult horror but Mcneil is an author I will continue to read! I loved the mystery along with the horror in this story and if that is something you are interested in then I think you should read this!
March 28, 2016
Relic by Gretchen McNeil is a supernatural read. Annie and her friends are graduating and planning their summer of "no regrets" before leaving for college in the fall. They take a trip to the lake, where they venture into an old, deserted mine. Somehow Annie gets separated from the rest of the group. The plot thickens, becoming more mysterious and supernatural. People are being killed one at a time in horrific ways. I give Relic 3.5 stars because the writing is done well, without grammar errors, but the story line skips ahead too quickly in some parts. The Anamet conclusion is almost without proof or explanation. Why couldn't Annie use her tablet to contact Sonya when she needed a ride; the same way she contacted Jack? The ending feels rushed. A quick read for readers who enjoy being a bit spooked, but are okay with a rushed story. I also posted this review on my blog: http://hugsandkissesforbooks.com/2016...
May 15, 2016
I'm a fan of Gretchen McNeil's books. I've read Possess and Ten previously (and also 3:59! I forgot about that one), and now Relic. They remind me a lot of the "Fear Street" or "Christopher Pike" books, and they're a lot of fun. I think she has a good handle on the teenage voice. Her teenagers sound like teenagers, and they have the same hopes and dreams and disappointments of that particular age.
This one was actually my favorite of the four. Her writing has improved and flows a lot better. The plot had a lot of twists and turns, and the reveal was actually quite interesting. I thought her previous novels followed almost standard horror movie tropes, but this one was more imaginative than the rest. I hope she continues to write horror/thrillers in the future.
This one was actually my favorite of the four. Her writing has improved and flows a lot better. The plot had a lot of twists and turns, and the reveal was actually quite interesting. I thought her previous novels followed almost standard horror movie tropes, but this one was more imaginative than the rest. I hope she continues to write horror/thrillers in the future.
August 29, 2016
This book was so ODD. I love reading weird books that have the craziest plots but this one took it a little too far for my taste. It was so ridiculous at times and I was not engrossed all that much. If I hadn't been reading this with a friend, I probably would have stopped before being halfway through and not really have cared what happened in the end. The ending was very sudden and not executed very well in my opinion. It felt extremely rushed and unfinished even though the major question was answered. Overall, a crazy and ridiculous plot with boring characters and a non-satisfying ending.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews