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Teeth in the Mist
Before the birth of time, a monk uncovers the Devil's Tongue and dares to speak it. The repercussions will be felt for generations...
Sixteen-year-old photography enthusiast Zoey has been fascinated by the haunted, burnt-out ruins of Medwyn Mill House for as long as she can remember--so she and her best friend, Poulton, run away from home to explore them. But are they really alone in the house? And who will know if something goes wrong?
In 1851, seventeen-year-old Roan arrives at the Mill House as a ward--one of three, all with something to hide from their new guardian. When Roan learns that she is connected to an ancient secret, she must escape the house before she is trapped forever.
1583. Hermione, a new young bride, accompanies her husband to the wilds of North Wales where he plans to build the largest water mill and mansion in the area. But rumors of unholy rituals lead to a tragic occurrence and she will need all her strength to defeat it.
Three women, centuries apart, drawn together by one Unholy Pact. A pact made by a man who, more than a thousand years later, may still be watching...
Sixteen-year-old photography enthusiast Zoey has been fascinated by the haunted, burnt-out ruins of Medwyn Mill House for as long as she can remember--so she and her best friend, Poulton, run away from home to explore them. But are they really alone in the house? And who will know if something goes wrong?
In 1851, seventeen-year-old Roan arrives at the Mill House as a ward--one of three, all with something to hide from their new guardian. When Roan learns that she is connected to an ancient secret, she must escape the house before she is trapped forever.
1583. Hermione, a new young bride, accompanies her husband to the wilds of North Wales where he plans to build the largest water mill and mansion in the area. But rumors of unholy rituals lead to a tragic occurrence and she will need all her strength to defeat it.
Three women, centuries apart, drawn together by one Unholy Pact. A pact made by a man who, more than a thousand years later, may still be watching...
447 pages, Hardcover
First published June 11, 2019
About the author
Dawn Kurtagich
8 books1,340 followersDawn Kurtagich is a writer of creepy, spooky and psychologically sinister YA fiction, where girls may descend into madness, boys may see monsters in men, and grown-ups may have something to hide. Her debut YA novel, THE DEAD HOUSE, was called "an evil and original story" by bestselling author R.L Stine and ""...a haunting new thriller..." by Entertainment Weekly. Her second novel, AND THE TREES CREPT IN (US) / THE CREEPER MAN (UK) received two starred reviews and was called "A must-read for horror fans everywhere!” by bestselling author, Susan Dennard, while Kirkus called it "frightening and compelling".
By the time she was eighteen, Dawn had been to fifteen schools across two continents. The daughter of a British globe-trotter and single mother, she grew up all over the place, but her formative years were spent in Africa—on a mission, in the bush, in the city and in the desert.
She has been lucky enough to see an elephant stampede at close range, a giraffe tongue at very close range, and she once witnessed the stealing of her (and her friends’) underwear by very large, angry baboons. (This will most definitely end up in a book . . . ) While she has quite a few tales to tell about the jumping African baboon spider, she tends to save these for Halloween!
Her life reads like a YA novel.
By the time she was eighteen, Dawn had been to fifteen schools across two continents. The daughter of a British globe-trotter and single mother, she grew up all over the place, but her formative years were spent in Africa—on a mission, in the bush, in the city and in the desert.
She has been lucky enough to see an elephant stampede at close range, a giraffe tongue at very close range, and she once witnessed the stealing of her (and her friends’) underwear by very large, angry baboons. (This will most definitely end up in a book . . . ) While she has quite a few tales to tell about the jumping African baboon spider, she tends to save these for Halloween!
Her life reads like a YA novel.
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November 2, 2019I read this for an experiment I did on my YouTube channel where my best friend picked out my tbr. This book was straight up CREEPY. I liked having several different story lines to follow throughout this book. It made it an exciting experience and I liked seeing how it all came together in the end. The one thing that I feel iffy about is that it felt like this book was too busy. I tend to like books that are that way, because it keeps me excited, but I think there is a limit and this one passed that limit. I found myself a little confused with certain things and wondering if I'd really understood everything that was happening. I'd say it deserves a re-read from me in order to be able to solidify my feelings.
August 30, 2019
September 2019: for those lovely readers asking, yes I do want to give you the sequel to TEETH! Stay tuned!
(09/11) The cover went live today! So much love--thank you bookish fiends so much! <3
(09/17) ARCs are in!
(03/26) There is currently a Goodreads Giveaway running!
(09/11) The cover went live today! So much love--thank you bookish fiends so much! <3
(09/17) ARCs are in!
(03/26) There is currently a Goodreads Giveaway running!
September 3, 2019
Buddy Read With Ladies Of Horror Fiction Group.
I have the hardback and love the pics and writing style per usual but they got me to listen to the Audible and OMG! This book is creepy good on Audio!!! The sound effects, the creepy demon voices, the whispers!! Perfect for getting your creep on!! 🎃🧟♀️
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
I have the hardback and love the pics and writing style per usual but they got me to listen to the Audible and OMG! This book is creepy good on Audio!!! The sound effects, the creepy demon voices, the whispers!! Perfect for getting your creep on!! 🎃🧟♀️
Happy Reading!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
August 25, 2019
Well, like her previous book, though intriguing and appealing to the eye; this was also hard to follow and disjointed. There are big ideas and concepts that don’t seem to lead much of anywhere. Something will seem to happen only to be easily fixed or ignored. The timelines didn’t bother me but the writing just kept throwing me off to where I had to go back and see where I had left off with that character. It was the same for me in the other book.
I did really find it interesting and I wonder if there is another to come ie; series.
It was hard to keep up with who really died and who didn’t. And who ended up in one place or the other.
The Roan/Rapley & Adam/Eve thing was not really explained all that well. We were just supposed to intuitively get it somehow.
Characters’ feelings seem to change very quickly. It is almost as if they are not aware of it themselves.
The backwards letters were neat but the long ones were annoying to try to read.
What happened to Jenny ?
Fostos did succeed in killing some of the Unclosed, so he was undefeated even with the wheel broken right? Or is it wrong; with the wheel broken in the metaphysical world even the souls that died under the mountain did not extend his life?
They were all half-siblings but Roan ends up with (maybe) Rapley’s child it hints of at the end. Does that fulfill something hinted at?
If this book was more of a cohesive and whole project that flowed easily from one chapter to the next it would be five stars. For now just 3 to 3.5. The creativity is good but I think it takes a bit away from the writing and character development.
I did really find it interesting and I wonder if there is another to come ie; series.
It was hard to keep up with who really died and who didn’t. And who ended up in one place or the other.
The Roan/Rapley & Adam/Eve thing was not really explained all that well. We were just supposed to intuitively get it somehow.
Characters’ feelings seem to change very quickly. It is almost as if they are not aware of it themselves.
The backwards letters were neat but the long ones were annoying to try to read.
What happened to Jenny ?
Fostos did succeed in killing some of the Unclosed, so he was undefeated even with the wheel broken right? Or is it wrong; with the wheel broken in the metaphysical world even the souls that died under the mountain did not extend his life?
They were all half-siblings but Roan ends up with (maybe) Rapley’s child it hints of at the end. Does that fulfill something hinted at?
If this book was more of a cohesive and whole project that flowed easily from one chapter to the next it would be five stars. For now just 3 to 3.5. The creativity is good but I think it takes a bit away from the writing and character development.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
October 1, 2021DNF for now. Will probably pick this back up again in the future but I got halfway through and just didn’t fancy it.
September 11, 2019
“You wield power no woman aught. You should be burned ALIVE!”
I listened to Teeth in the Mist on audio and the production is truly fantastic and creepy but I have also heard the paper version includes lots of little extras and artwork that you miss out on if listening only to the audio. As I’m a wee bit confused and feeling a little dazed after my listening, as if I just awoke from a fuzzy nightmare, I may go ahead and splurge for the hardcover and give it a reread and see if I can clarify some things or if I were meant to feel this way. Either way I don’t regret listening to this disturbing tale!
I don’t even know where to begin with this book. There’s a lot to it and words are failing me. There are three timelines but the book mainly focuses on two of them but know that the third is very, very important. Listening to the audio, I found myself getting tripped up in the timelines. There are two girls who make a treacherous trip up a mountain to a sinister looking and for sure haunted house and I kept mixing up who was who and who was with who and their backstories but that may just be me and my faulty brain or because it was on audio. Honestly, I don’t think this a book you can listen to while doing much else. It needs your 100% focus.
There are some great characters here, strong-willed girls with tempers and creative curses and painful backstories. I don’t want to go into the plot too much but when mentions of Faustus, spells, witches, ghosts, curses and the glowing red eyes of a black ram (who may or not be related to Black Phillip!) kept appearing I had no idea where this book was leading me but I sure as hell wanted to follow it anywhere. If you’re a person who sometimes judges a book by the title and cover and doesn’t read the blurb, like myself, you may think this is a monster-fest sort of book. It is not that at all. It is an atmospheric creepfest of the creepiest order. The audio production only enhances that and I LOVED the experience. It takes some extremely surprising turns into the darkest of corners and I refuse to spoil any of them and likely couldn’t explain any of them if I tried.
I’m going with a four for this first reading and may change my rating on a reread. Or not.
I listened to Teeth in the Mist on audio and the production is truly fantastic and creepy but I have also heard the paper version includes lots of little extras and artwork that you miss out on if listening only to the audio. As I’m a wee bit confused and feeling a little dazed after my listening, as if I just awoke from a fuzzy nightmare, I may go ahead and splurge for the hardcover and give it a reread and see if I can clarify some things or if I were meant to feel this way. Either way I don’t regret listening to this disturbing tale!
I don’t even know where to begin with this book. There’s a lot to it and words are failing me. There are three timelines but the book mainly focuses on two of them but know that the third is very, very important. Listening to the audio, I found myself getting tripped up in the timelines. There are two girls who make a treacherous trip up a mountain to a sinister looking and for sure haunted house and I kept mixing up who was who and who was with who and their backstories but that may just be me and my faulty brain or because it was on audio. Honestly, I don’t think this a book you can listen to while doing much else. It needs your 100% focus.
There are some great characters here, strong-willed girls with tempers and creative curses and painful backstories. I don’t want to go into the plot too much but when mentions of Faustus, spells, witches, ghosts, curses and the glowing red eyes of a black ram (who may or not be related to Black Phillip!) kept appearing I had no idea where this book was leading me but I sure as hell wanted to follow it anywhere. If you’re a person who sometimes judges a book by the title and cover and doesn’t read the blurb, like myself, you may think this is a monster-fest sort of book. It is not that at all. It is an atmospheric creepfest of the creepiest order. The audio production only enhances that and I LOVED the experience. It takes some extremely surprising turns into the darkest of corners and I refuse to spoil any of them and likely couldn’t explain any of them if I tried.
I’m going with a four for this first reading and may change my rating on a reread. Or not.
August 23, 2019
Both haunting and baffling, Teeth in the Mist falls somewhere between two and three stars. And I have simultaneously zero thoughts and every thought possible about it.
“Tempt a girl to evil using evil. How quaint your faith must seem to you. To bend it so.”
Let's start with the positives: a BIG one is originality. Yes, it's a loose interpretation of Dr. Faustus, but it's an elaborate and ambitious tale of it's own. Dawn Kurtagich is fucking fearless, unafraid of mixing three timelines, letters, journal entries, social media, and cam footage into a mind-meddling mixture.
I'll admit, the similar tactic used in The Dead House really worked for me. Brave though it may be, this story lost me in the convoluted mess of the narrative. For example, you have our mid 19th century character, Roan, who writes backwards letters to her deceased father.
And this is one of the short ones. Is it really super cool? Absolutely. But with the longer letters, it's a roadblock. It yanked me straight out of any immersion that was happening, negating most of the cool factor with frustration.
“The important thing is to make a better deal than Faustus did.”
“Insolent child. Filia demonica. The important thing is never to meddle with evil in the first place.”
So, we have the 1851 timeline, where newly orphaned Roan Eddington is moving into a creepy ass house in some creepy ass mountains. Mill House has all kinds of bad history around it, as well as just being weird in general. Color coordinated rooms, secret doorways, suspiciously terrible weather, countless reports of ghosts, and all kinds of sinister things. There Roan meets, among others, Irish siblings Seamus and Emma, a wheelchair bound boy who can talk to snakes and a hot tempered lass with a colorful vocabulary (I especially love "pigeon-livered, gibfaced fool")
Then there's modern day Zoey, a teenage girl who is eager to go a ghost hunting in the decrepit Mill House, both to gain insight into her family and their creepy magical roots. Also interspersed throughout the story are the journals of Hermine Smith, the wife of original Mill House architect, who history remembers as a witch burned at the stake.
Conjurings and hauntings, devils and witches - spooky stuff abounds.
She speaks the Corrupt. She speaks the Blasphemous. She speaks the Devil’s Tongue.
My chief problem with this story is it's so damn confusing. It's atmospheric, but disjointed. To quote myself (when I was texting a friend about this batshit bonkers book as a I read it):
There is just SO MUCH going on all the time. Conjuring, weird bloodlines, drawing symbols and what they mean, a creepy goat that might be the devil, hidden passages, exorcisms, a LOT of disappearances. And the ending! It's basically a non ending. There's such an insane reveal on the last page that makes negative sense, then bam, end of book.
I got no sense of resolution or connection by the end, which I really felt was needed! How do you have that many cool things going on and not try to solidify a few of them by the end?
I didn't hate Teeth in the Mist. I liked a lot of the individual elements and characters. But the character and plot threads get so constantly tangled, without ever coming together into something completely satisfying. I know I'll come back to Dawn Kurtagich, cause she knows how to creep a girl out. But darn if I don't want more!
Want to read
June 24, 2019My copy just arrived!!
She thick and she gorgeous! There are some really cool pages in here too. Some black pages with white text as well as pictures. This just jumped WAYYYYY up the TBR list!
She thick and she gorgeous! There are some really cool pages in here too. Some black pages with white text as well as pictures. This just jumped WAYYYYY up the TBR list!
June 30, 2020
2.5 stars
This review is going to be such a bummer, because I was so freaking pumped for this and love this author's previous books.
Concept: ★★★★
Plot/Logic: ★★
Enjoyment: ★
Given how ?!?!?!? I felt while reading this, I'm not rephrasing the summary here—welcome to a reaction review.
Teeth in the Mist was supposed to be so cool. We've got 3 different timelines of women all tied to this ancient house in the remote UK. There's a demonic angle, and in amazing Kurtagich style there were a bunch of documents and stylistic text choices throughout, something that I call "found footage" because it reminds me of the horror movie genre, but others call mixed media.
For example, the modern girl's narrative takes place almost exclusively through journal entries and camera transcripts. The 1800s timeline takes place in traditional 3rd person narration, and the oldest timeline takes place as very small diary entries.
But this was a mess.
For the first third, I was completely, utterly, 100% confused. And that was okay! I kept going, because I trusted that the story would become more clear as we went on.
It did, and it didn't.
Aside from complete confusion for the entire reading experience—and not the good kind, the frustrating "why are you giving me nothing" kind—I was also continually frustrated with the way that these three timelines were portrayed, and the lack of world building and character development used in each of them. This was a HUGE case of telling, not showing, and what we were told varied by the minute and was almost useless in most cases.
I just can't emphasize enough how much this book relied on telling, not showing. In particular, there is one element of the story that is obvious from the start (which wasn't a problem!) and then in the context of plot progression that trope completely goes off the rails. Here's the spoiler so that sentence makes sense:
On top of that spoiler above, it was just... why? The entire time I was reading the second half of this book—when it became clear where we were going with the three plot lines—I kept thinking, there must be more. Otherwise, why? Where is the payoff? Where is the satisfying "Ah, this is why I slogged through this" ending? It just... didn't satisfy. And it wasn't necessary to have three timelines, so I was frustrated by that element as well.
As you can tell, I'm pretty heated on the topic. Please take my opinions as their own, and not a reflection on anyone else's reading experience. This was a 400 page book of nonsense, and it ended that way. But I still love this author, and I stand by Dead House, her previous book. Looking forward to the next one.
Blog | Instagram
This review is going to be such a bummer, because I was so freaking pumped for this and love this author's previous books.
Concept: ★★★★
Plot/Logic: ★★
Enjoyment: ★
Given how ?!?!?!? I felt while reading this, I'm not rephrasing the summary here—welcome to a reaction review.
Teeth in the Mist was supposed to be so cool. We've got 3 different timelines of women all tied to this ancient house in the remote UK. There's a demonic angle, and in amazing Kurtagich style there were a bunch of documents and stylistic text choices throughout, something that I call "found footage" because it reminds me of the horror movie genre, but others call mixed media.
For example, the modern girl's narrative takes place almost exclusively through journal entries and camera transcripts. The 1800s timeline takes place in traditional 3rd person narration, and the oldest timeline takes place as very small diary entries.
But this was a mess.
For the first third, I was completely, utterly, 100% confused. And that was okay! I kept going, because I trusted that the story would become more clear as we went on.
It did, and it didn't.
Aside from complete confusion for the entire reading experience—and not the good kind, the frustrating "why are you giving me nothing" kind—I was also continually frustrated with the way that these three timelines were portrayed, and the lack of world building and character development used in each of them. This was a HUGE case of telling, not showing, and what we were told varied by the minute and was almost useless in most cases.
I just can't emphasize enough how much this book relied on telling, not showing. In particular, there is one element of the story that is obvious from the start (which wasn't a problem!) and then in the context of plot progression that trope completely goes off the rails. Here's the spoiler so that sentence makes sense:
On top of that spoiler above, it was just... why? The entire time I was reading the second half of this book—when it became clear where we were going with the three plot lines—I kept thinking, there must be more. Otherwise, why? Where is the payoff? Where is the satisfying "Ah, this is why I slogged through this" ending? It just... didn't satisfy. And it wasn't necessary to have three timelines, so I was frustrated by that element as well.
As you can tell, I'm pretty heated on the topic. Please take my opinions as their own, and not a reflection on anyone else's reading experience. This was a 400 page book of nonsense, and it ended that way. But I still love this author, and I stand by Dead House, her previous book. Looking forward to the next one.
Blog | Instagram
July 3, 2021
4.5 stars
OMG!! THIS AUDIO BOOK! forget yesterday, you needed this audio book last month! The cast of narrators is so freaking amazing. they REALLY get into reading this phenomenal story. the added sound effects and ambient noises is like sprinkles on top of the best birthday cake ever.
there is multiple stories going on at once, the story of Roan and Zoey mostly. they are tied together by Mill House. There is some other characters but they are the 2 main story lines. Between the narrators and what they were reading, this was an intense, nail biting experience. i love what Dawn did with the legend of Faust. The only reason i did not give this 5 stars was i thought it could've been a little shorter but really guys, you need to listen to this audio book. it's my #2 favorite audio book at this moment and i listen to a lot of them.
October 14, 2019
This was NOT an easy read but it was a really interesting one. This book is a mix of House of Leaves in YA form and the exorcist...maybe? It's about the devil, it's about blood magic, and it's about generational terrors. This is a VERY dark YA novel, a very bloody and gruesome one but it did work for me.
Trigger warnings for death of a parent, abuse by parent, torture, branding, drowning, cutting, blood magic, sexual assault, parental neglect, the depiction of stillborn death and death of children, mass murder, incest, demonic possession, and a host of other seriously disturbing things.
Seriously, this book is dark but it fit the spooky vibes I was going for and I did like the way it was crafted with mixed media, dark pages with white font, pictures, etc mixed in. There was a bit of confusion for me regarding a timeline swap and characters maybe not being who we thought they were...which knocked off a star. Overall, it was just what I was looking for in a novel like this...with the exception of a plot twist that seriously yucked me out at the end. Overall, a good dark read.
Trigger warnings for death of a parent, abuse by parent, torture, branding, drowning, cutting, blood magic, sexual assault, parental neglect, the depiction of stillborn death and death of children, mass murder, incest, demonic possession, and a host of other seriously disturbing things.
Seriously, this book is dark but it fit the spooky vibes I was going for and I did like the way it was crafted with mixed media, dark pages with white font, pictures, etc mixed in. There was a bit of confusion for me regarding a timeline swap and characters maybe not being who we thought they were...which knocked off a star. Overall, it was just what I was looking for in a novel like this...with the exception of a plot twist that seriously yucked me out at the end. Overall, a good dark read.
October 22, 2019
The audiobook was a fantastic production. Multiple skilled narrators, music, sound effects. You can tell it was crafted with passion.
Unfortunately, I hated the actual story. Just like her first book, there are parts that didn't feel necessary to the story. Too many focus points meant too many open threads at the end. I didn't enjoy how the 4 timelines wove together, not enough payoff for me.
I think I would have enjoyed this more if it had focused on only 1 pov, as the isolation of And The Trees Crept In better showcased Kurtagich's writing in my opinion (my preference only, others may feel differently of course).
Additionally, there are some outdated terms regarding disability, which while possibly understandable in the 1800s time period, were also in the present time period. I also didn't like how disability was treated as a punishment in one case.
Overall the gross out horror and the satanic lore just aren't my thing. The evil\scary things were so blatant that it lost that creep factor I prefer.
CW: torture, drowning, being burned at the stake, human surgical experiments, all sorts of corpses, apparitions, stillbirth, the actual devil
Unfortunately, I hated the actual story. Just like her first book, there are parts that didn't feel necessary to the story. Too many focus points meant too many open threads at the end. I didn't enjoy how the 4 timelines wove together, not enough payoff for me.
I think I would have enjoyed this more if it had focused on only 1 pov, as the isolation of And The Trees Crept In better showcased Kurtagich's writing in my opinion (my preference only, others may feel differently of course).
Additionally, there are some outdated terms regarding disability, which while possibly understandable in the 1800s time period, were also in the present time period. I also didn't like how disability was treated as a punishment in one case.
Overall the gross out horror and the satanic lore just aren't my thing. The evil\scary things were so blatant that it lost that creep factor I prefer.
CW: torture, drowning, being burned at the stake, human surgical experiments, all sorts of corpses, apparitions, stillbirth, the actual devil
August 5, 2019
All hail the new queen of goth romance and YA horror! This book is that rarest of things - something truly unique (it harkens back to goth classics of literature like Jane Eyre and Rebecca but is infused with a witchy, feminist sensibility that completely reconfigures the genre). READ THIS BOOK IN PHYSICAL FORM or you'll miss the GENIUS use of font/page color/graphics to build atmosphere and tension (one of my favorite things about this author's writing). And the romance - sweet lord, Dawn Kurtagich - you certainly know how to pull off crackling, supernatural, goth chemistry. Very highly recommended - and try to read it on a rainy weekend, preferably seated in an isolated Scottish castle set beside a dark, storming sea, with a single candle burning. Surrounded by walls decorated with horned skulls. #TeamRapley (and that red-eyed ram thing is one of the scariest visuals I've yet to encounter - so now I'm scared of goats)
June 30, 2019
3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2019/06/30/...
I’ve read all of Dawn Kurtagich’s YA horror novels so far and Teeth in the Mist is probably the most elaborate but also the toughest to get into. A loose retelling of the legend of Faust who sells his soul to the devil for knowledge and power, the novel weaves together past and present to tell the stories of sixteen-year-old Zoey Root, a modern-day high school student, as well as Roan Eddington, a young woman who lived nearly 170 years before.
In 1851, Roan finds herself moving into Mill House, a remote mansion in the Welsh mountains owned by her new guardian Dr. Maudley following the death of her father. It is said that the house is haunted by the ghost of its architect’s wife, who was burned at the stake as witch. When Roan arrives, she discovers others around her age at the mansion, including Rapley, Maudley’s adopted son, as well as Emma and Seamus, Irish siblings who are also wards of the doctor. Together they find that Mill House is also home to something more sinister with roots to an ancient secret.
Shifting gears to the present day, Zoey has always held a fascination for the burned-out ruins of Medwyn Mill House, and not only because of its atmosphere and intriguing history. Years before, her father made a research trip there to learn more about the circumstances behind his birth, only to return a shadow of himself, having lost his mind and most of his memory. Like him, Zoey also possesses supernatural gifts—which come at a high cost. By retracing the steps her father took, she is determined to find out what happened in the hopes of getting some answers for them both.
Spread out in between Zoey and Roan’s perspectives is also a third point-of-view, presented to us in the form of diary entries written by a sixteenth century woman named Hermione. Newly married to a man with plans to construct the largest water mill in the area, her writings reveal clues from the past about the unsettling provenance of Mill House.
All these disparate and complicated threads are pulled together in an organized enough manner, though I won’t lie, it made for a rather dull, sluggish beginning. The first half of the novel sought to establish the three characters, separated by the centuries. It’s difficult to tell at first how their storylines are related, but in time their connections are revealed, and mainly, they have to do with Mill House and the man who built it. Then, of course, there are the allusions to Faust and his infamous deal with the devil. In addition to exploring this theme, the early plot also attempts to expand upon the classic story by moving beyond the basics.
Still, despite the lackadaisical pacing of the first half, Teeth in the Mist intrigued me with the interplay between its three timelines. Dawn Kurtagich is fast becoming a well-known name in YA horror, not only establishing herself as an authority when it comes to creating atmospheric settings but also a creative genius when it comes to presentation—as in how to play with the structure and format of a story to make it compelling and fun for the reader. For example, these methods were used in her last novel And the Trees Crept In to a great extent, where coming across disjointed prose and different font sizes and styles on the same page in order to portray the unraveling sanity of the main character was fairly common. It’s meant to pull you in and make you feel more immersed, and it’s very effective.
I also think the story picks up in the second half, as the links between the three women became more apparent and dynamic. Because of the constant shifts, however, I didn’t feel that Teeth in the Mist was quite as creepy or moody, possibly because keeping up with all the moving parts was also a lot more demanding on my attention and drained my mental energy.
Still, overall I enjoyed the book. I’ve had several busts this year already when it comes to horror YA, and at the very least I wasn’t disappointed in Teeth in the Mist even though it is probably not Kurtagich’s best. That honor still belongs to The Dead House, but I will still rabidly look forward the author’s books and I’m eager to see what she’ll write next.
I’ve read all of Dawn Kurtagich’s YA horror novels so far and Teeth in the Mist is probably the most elaborate but also the toughest to get into. A loose retelling of the legend of Faust who sells his soul to the devil for knowledge and power, the novel weaves together past and present to tell the stories of sixteen-year-old Zoey Root, a modern-day high school student, as well as Roan Eddington, a young woman who lived nearly 170 years before.
In 1851, Roan finds herself moving into Mill House, a remote mansion in the Welsh mountains owned by her new guardian Dr. Maudley following the death of her father. It is said that the house is haunted by the ghost of its architect’s wife, who was burned at the stake as witch. When Roan arrives, she discovers others around her age at the mansion, including Rapley, Maudley’s adopted son, as well as Emma and Seamus, Irish siblings who are also wards of the doctor. Together they find that Mill House is also home to something more sinister with roots to an ancient secret.
Shifting gears to the present day, Zoey has always held a fascination for the burned-out ruins of Medwyn Mill House, and not only because of its atmosphere and intriguing history. Years before, her father made a research trip there to learn more about the circumstances behind his birth, only to return a shadow of himself, having lost his mind and most of his memory. Like him, Zoey also possesses supernatural gifts—which come at a high cost. By retracing the steps her father took, she is determined to find out what happened in the hopes of getting some answers for them both.
Spread out in between Zoey and Roan’s perspectives is also a third point-of-view, presented to us in the form of diary entries written by a sixteenth century woman named Hermione. Newly married to a man with plans to construct the largest water mill in the area, her writings reveal clues from the past about the unsettling provenance of Mill House.
All these disparate and complicated threads are pulled together in an organized enough manner, though I won’t lie, it made for a rather dull, sluggish beginning. The first half of the novel sought to establish the three characters, separated by the centuries. It’s difficult to tell at first how their storylines are related, but in time their connections are revealed, and mainly, they have to do with Mill House and the man who built it. Then, of course, there are the allusions to Faust and his infamous deal with the devil. In addition to exploring this theme, the early plot also attempts to expand upon the classic story by moving beyond the basics.
Still, despite the lackadaisical pacing of the first half, Teeth in the Mist intrigued me with the interplay between its three timelines. Dawn Kurtagich is fast becoming a well-known name in YA horror, not only establishing herself as an authority when it comes to creating atmospheric settings but also a creative genius when it comes to presentation—as in how to play with the structure and format of a story to make it compelling and fun for the reader. For example, these methods were used in her last novel And the Trees Crept In to a great extent, where coming across disjointed prose and different font sizes and styles on the same page in order to portray the unraveling sanity of the main character was fairly common. It’s meant to pull you in and make you feel more immersed, and it’s very effective.
I also think the story picks up in the second half, as the links between the three women became more apparent and dynamic. Because of the constant shifts, however, I didn’t feel that Teeth in the Mist was quite as creepy or moody, possibly because keeping up with all the moving parts was also a lot more demanding on my attention and drained my mental energy.
Still, overall I enjoyed the book. I’ve had several busts this year already when it comes to horror YA, and at the very least I wasn’t disappointed in Teeth in the Mist even though it is probably not Kurtagich’s best. That honor still belongs to The Dead House, but I will still rabidly look forward the author’s books and I’m eager to see what she’ll write next.
October 5, 2019
3.5 Stars.
TEETH IN THE MIST, by Dawn Kurtagich is a dark, atmospheric tale that focuses on three separate timelines: The 1500's, the 1850's, and present. I had no problem in following along the different characters/years, and enjoyed the one set in the 1850's the most. The characters were the most "focused" on in this part, so they stood out the best. I loved the attitudes, suspicions, questions raised, and .... abilities that were brought into play.
For the majority of this book, I would have said it was a four star read--I had no major complaints, and simply "enjoyed" certain chapters more than others. However, all of the timelines fit together like a puzzle, and what made this more enjoyable is that we weren't thrown all the pieces at once; rather, we had to go through and pick up the clues as they were given.
My only real disappointment came towards the very end. I enjoyed putting the facts into play, but the ending was just--too "different" from the rest of the novel, imho. There were several key issues that I would have liked more information on, and was disappointed that they were simply mentioned and passed over.
Overall, I found this novel to be very entertaining and "different" in style to many others. I really enjoyed the concept, and the sets of different characters that showed how things progressed throughout the centuries. My biggest regret was that at the end we learned a lot of key information, but more "in passing", and nothing was gone into further. Personally, I would have liked more information on certain aspects of the mountain/house. Also, the characters from the present displayed a trait that was never really satisfactorily explained. If not for all of the questions I was still left with at the end--which seemed a little "hurried" to me--I would have rated this a solid four stars. Still, I enjoyed it enough to read more from this author in the future.
Recommended.
TEETH IN THE MIST, by Dawn Kurtagich is a dark, atmospheric tale that focuses on three separate timelines: The 1500's, the 1850's, and present. I had no problem in following along the different characters/years, and enjoyed the one set in the 1850's the most. The characters were the most "focused" on in this part, so they stood out the best. I loved the attitudes, suspicions, questions raised, and .... abilities that were brought into play.
For the majority of this book, I would have said it was a four star read--I had no major complaints, and simply "enjoyed" certain chapters more than others. However, all of the timelines fit together like a puzzle, and what made this more enjoyable is that we weren't thrown all the pieces at once; rather, we had to go through and pick up the clues as they were given.
My only real disappointment came towards the very end. I enjoyed putting the facts into play, but the ending was just--too "different" from the rest of the novel, imho. There were several key issues that I would have liked more information on, and was disappointed that they were simply mentioned and passed over.
Overall, I found this novel to be very entertaining and "different" in style to many others. I really enjoyed the concept, and the sets of different characters that showed how things progressed throughout the centuries. My biggest regret was that at the end we learned a lot of key information, but more "in passing", and nothing was gone into further. Personally, I would have liked more information on certain aspects of the mountain/house. Also, the characters from the present displayed a trait that was never really satisfactorily explained. If not for all of the questions I was still left with at the end--which seemed a little "hurried" to me--I would have rated this a solid four stars. Still, I enjoyed it enough to read more from this author in the future.
Recommended.
January 12, 2023
3 Stars for Teeth in the Mist (audiobook) by Dawn Kurtagich read by Marisa Calin.
This is a dark tale with multiple timelines of confusing storylines.
This is a dark tale with multiple timelines of confusing storylines.
Want to read
March 31, 2019BASED ON FAUSTUS AIIIYEEE
“epic horror-fantasy” okay this is my favourite genre crossed with my least favourite genre because I’m an actual pansy? And this actually sounds terrifying?
also I’m not fond of the cover - the publisher could’ve done so much better and we all know this, there was floods of potential
“epic horror-fantasy” okay this is my favourite genre crossed with my least favourite genre because I’m an actual pansy? And this actually sounds terrifying?
also I’m not fond of the cover - the publisher could’ve done so much better and we all know this, there was floods of potential
September 16, 2020
There's got to be a sequel to this amazing book! I loved this book so much! It reminded me of The Dead House and The asylum by Madeline Roux. I need a sequel. PLEASE!! AAAHHH I loved this book so much!
Okay, I loved the audiobook! the voice actor was amazing and the music in it was beautiful. It took me forever to listen to it but I loved it so much!
Okay, I loved the audiobook! the voice actor was amazing and the music in it was beautiful. It took me forever to listen to it but I loved it so much!
January 31, 2021
This author knows how to write! The first thing I fell in love with was the character's names, especially Roan. I adore that name.
There are quite a few genres this story can fall into, but I think Gothic Horror best describes it. I have never read a story like this one. Not only the plot was unique to me, but also it has an ergodic style to it. Not too overwhelming, but it's there. The reverse writing was poor quality and did mess with my eyesight.
The characters were superb and there was an intensity throughout the story. A recommend read for all you gothic fans out there.
Read
March 8, 2019CREEPY and INTRICATE and SO WELL DONE you want this one
roan is...... my daughter i love her
roan is...... my daughter i love her
Read
September 15, 2022Creepy, just as promised. For most of the book, I read a paper ARC and listened to the audiobook at the same time and let me tell you—the audiobook is performed phenomenally well! It is full cast and includes creepy whispers, background music, sound effects, and excellent narration. Listening definitely upped the creep factor for me. But the paper book boasts its own special features. It has old-timey letters, word poetry (creative use of spacing, etc.), different fonts, illustrations, and more. I've heard the finished copy has even more of these. So I can't really recommend one format over the other - this is one where I think it's really worthwhile to get both (or buy one and borrow one from the library), for the full experience! If you've read and listened to any of the Illuminae books, you'll understand what I mean.
I buddy read this with two friends and we were all pretty creeped out throughout. Let me tell you. Listening to this book on headphones, alone in a dark room at night with low lighting... eeek! Didn't help that my baby cried and I had to go get her from down the dark hall. Heh. My friends had similarly creepy experiences and thoughts while reading.
From there, well - there are three timelines, each with a different POV character. That is a very, very hard writing element to pull off, and I commend Kurtagich for tackling it. She does a good job. Roan's story is the main POV, with Zoey's secondary and Hermione's brief and dispersed, though diary entries only. Each perspective was distinct and I didn't have any trouble keeping them straight (which is always a risk with this type of story).
I was pulled in by the mystery and enjoyed uncovering the plot! The characters were interesting and suited both the plot and each respective time frame. A lot happens and there are so many elements to the story. There is a LOT going on and a lot of characters. It's definitely worth slowing down or paying really close attention at the start, when you're gaining your bearings as a reader. This is by no means a simple read. It's really easy to miss things, so this is best read/listened to without other distractions.
Dawn Kurtagich’s writing is excellent and I also appreciate that she's tackled an incredibly difficult story format and done so well. If you're looking for something that'll give you the feel of a scary story told by the campfire on a dark night, you'll love the vibes of this book.
Free advanced copy provided by The NOVL / Little Brown Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I buddy read this with two friends and we were all pretty creeped out throughout. Let me tell you. Listening to this book on headphones, alone in a dark room at night with low lighting... eeek! Didn't help that my baby cried and I had to go get her from down the dark hall. Heh. My friends had similarly creepy experiences and thoughts while reading.
From there, well - there are three timelines, each with a different POV character. That is a very, very hard writing element to pull off, and I commend Kurtagich for tackling it. She does a good job. Roan's story is the main POV, with Zoey's secondary and Hermione's brief and dispersed, though diary entries only. Each perspective was distinct and I didn't have any trouble keeping them straight (which is always a risk with this type of story).
I was pulled in by the mystery and enjoyed uncovering the plot! The characters were interesting and suited both the plot and each respective time frame. A lot happens and there are so many elements to the story. There is a LOT going on and a lot of characters. It's definitely worth slowing down or paying really close attention at the start, when you're gaining your bearings as a reader. This is by no means a simple read. It's really easy to miss things, so this is best read/listened to without other distractions.
Dawn Kurtagich’s writing is excellent and I also appreciate that she's tackled an incredibly difficult story format and done so well. If you're looking for something that'll give you the feel of a scary story told by the campfire on a dark night, you'll love the vibes of this book.
Free advanced copy provided by The NOVL / Little Brown Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
September 30, 2019
Odd, strange, unusual. Dark, sinister, twisted. Confusing. I wanted to like this so much, but it didn't make much sense. The writing style is like a puzzle box full of corner pieces, impossible to put together and get the full picture. The premise had heart, the artwork and effects were a unique touch, and the creep factor was definitely there, so that is why I am generously giving 3 stars. (I hadn't realized this book was by the same author of As The Trees Crept in. That book was disjointed but had a good premise as well.)
November 7, 2019
I’ve been struggling on how to write my review for this. So much I can’t tell. There are a few different POVs to follow and I did get a bit confused there. Other than those bumps in the road, I couldn’t put this down. It had a brooding, dream like quality to the telling.
I’m all for books with an isolated setting and anticipated some hard times for these characters. Hard was putting it mildly. Whether reading about the past events or current ones, they were in for a world of hurt. Medwyn Hill could put Dracula’s castle to shame for dark and dreary. Just getting there was treacherous. Those cold walls oozed evil and finding out it’s secrets could get you killed.
Teeth In The Mist is a book you need to set time aside to read. There’s a lot to take in and I couldn’t figure out where the story was going. The eerier it got, the more I was compelled to read. The more tangled and mangled the mystery, the more I had to know.
And the ending, or endings, have me still thinking.
I won a copy of this book. My review is voluntarily given.
I’m all for books with an isolated setting and anticipated some hard times for these characters. Hard was putting it mildly. Whether reading about the past events or current ones, they were in for a world of hurt. Medwyn Hill could put Dracula’s castle to shame for dark and dreary. Just getting there was treacherous. Those cold walls oozed evil and finding out it’s secrets could get you killed.
Teeth In The Mist is a book you need to set time aside to read. There’s a lot to take in and I couldn’t figure out where the story was going. The eerier it got, the more I was compelled to read. The more tangled and mangled the mystery, the more I had to know.
And the ending, or endings, have me still thinking.
I won a copy of this book. My review is voluntarily given.
October 3, 2019
*ARC provided by author and publisher in exchange for an honest review*
"You are the torch in my night, ____."
(Name removed due to spoilers but ugh that line made me choke with emotion.)
TW: Self-harm
My.
Mind.
Is.
Blown.
Dawn never ceases to amaze me. I'm always overwhelmed -lowkey intimidated-when it comes to books weaving more than one time period at a time but I should've known Dawn would make me get over it.
This book follows Roan in 1851 and Zoey in the present. There are also letters from a third character before Roan's time but I'll leave them a mystery.
Roan is one of the newest wards at Mill House (a property on an infamous mountain) and I loved how Dawn tackled her story line. We weren't given her full backstory off the bat, but we had to work for our morsels of information to her past. It made me want to keep reading just for that but it also helped that everything else intrigued me to no end.
Zoey is in search for answers after a family member visits Mill House and comes back a different person. She makes it her mission to follow in their footsteps and things start happening after that. I loooooooved ZOEY!!!!!! My goodness, I loved her voice so much that I would follow her story for the rest of her life if I could. I couldn't pinpoint why I loved her so much but I was attached and I wasn't about to question it.
I couldn't relate to Roan the way I did with Zoey but I appreciated them both equally. Both of their story lines were too interesting to ignore.
Quick disclaimer, I listened to the audiobook while I followed along with the hardcover and I'll tell you this now- that is the BEST way to experience this book! Since the physical book is written in mixed media format (journal entries, letters, illustrations, text messages, etc.), you'd be missing out if you only listened to it. This is officially my number 1 favorite audiobook ever and I don't see any other taking its place. The ambiance and the voices were absolutely breathtaking. The amount of work that was put into it was mind-blowing. I don't even know what I'm going to do now... I don't want to go back to 'normal' audiobooks haha.
This book demanded my complete attention whenever I cracked its spine open and my heartbeat never failed to accelerate in every scene. Even when nothing was happening, I couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was around the corner. Dawn is an expert at hooking you and never letting you go until she sees fit.
The only reason this wasn't a full 5 stars for me was because it didn't really pick up until past the halfway point and that bummed me out a little bit. Don't get me wrong. I was intrigued from the very first page, but the pacing wasn't as fast as I'd have liked it to be.
I was also more interested in Zoey's point of view for the first half, but once I hit the end of part 3 -out of 6- both POV's had my full attention.
Other than that, this book was too beautiful and disturbing for words. I can't remember the last time I was this disturbed, if ever, and I am not surprised. Dawn is one of my favorites for a reason!
Oh, and one last thing...
THAT ENDING!!!!!
AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
I. NEED. A. SEQUEL!!!!!!!!
4.8/5 stars!
"You are the torch in my night, ____."
(Name removed due to spoilers but ugh that line made me choke with emotion.)
TW: Self-harm
My.
Mind.
Is.
Blown.
Dawn never ceases to amaze me. I'm always overwhelmed -lowkey intimidated-when it comes to books weaving more than one time period at a time but I should've known Dawn would make me get over it.
This book follows Roan in 1851 and Zoey in the present. There are also letters from a third character before Roan's time but I'll leave them a mystery.
Roan is one of the newest wards at Mill House (a property on an infamous mountain) and I loved how Dawn tackled her story line. We weren't given her full backstory off the bat, but we had to work for our morsels of information to her past. It made me want to keep reading just for that but it also helped that everything else intrigued me to no end.
Zoey is in search for answers after a family member visits Mill House and comes back a different person. She makes it her mission to follow in their footsteps and things start happening after that. I loooooooved ZOEY!!!!!! My goodness, I loved her voice so much that I would follow her story for the rest of her life if I could. I couldn't pinpoint why I loved her so much but I was attached and I wasn't about to question it.
I couldn't relate to Roan the way I did with Zoey but I appreciated them both equally. Both of their story lines were too interesting to ignore.
Quick disclaimer, I listened to the audiobook while I followed along with the hardcover and I'll tell you this now- that is the BEST way to experience this book! Since the physical book is written in mixed media format (journal entries, letters, illustrations, text messages, etc.), you'd be missing out if you only listened to it. This is officially my number 1 favorite audiobook ever and I don't see any other taking its place. The ambiance and the voices were absolutely breathtaking. The amount of work that was put into it was mind-blowing. I don't even know what I'm going to do now... I don't want to go back to 'normal' audiobooks haha.
This book demanded my complete attention whenever I cracked its spine open and my heartbeat never failed to accelerate in every scene. Even when nothing was happening, I couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was around the corner. Dawn is an expert at hooking you and never letting you go until she sees fit.
The only reason this wasn't a full 5 stars for me was because it didn't really pick up until past the halfway point and that bummed me out a little bit. Don't get me wrong. I was intrigued from the very first page, but the pacing wasn't as fast as I'd have liked it to be.
I was also more interested in Zoey's point of view for the first half, but once I hit the end of part 3 -out of 6- both POV's had my full attention.
Other than that, this book was too beautiful and disturbing for words. I can't remember the last time I was this disturbed, if ever, and I am not surprised. Dawn is one of my favorites for a reason!
Oh, and one last thing...
THAT ENDING!!!!!
AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
I. NEED. A. SEQUEL!!!!!!!!
4.8/5 stars!
October 15, 2019
3.5/5
This was a fucking weird ass book. But you must expect that with Dawn Kurtagich. I read her other book The Dead House and it was equally as creepy. Both are also told in a very interesting format. The full cast audio for Teeth in the Mist was incredible, especially the male narrators.
We follow three young women separated by time, but their stories manage to intersect regardless. Zoey has always been obsessed with witches and the abandoned Medwyn Mill House. She takes her best friend, Poulton, and together they explore the house only to find it isn't completely abandoned. In 1851, Roan is sent to the Mill House as a ward with two other kids her age. When they discover they're connected to ancient secrets, they're desperate to escape before some horrible occurs. 1583, Hermione accompanies her new husband to the wilds of North Wales where they begin to build a water mill and mansion. Rumors of unholy rituals leads to a tragedy no one saw coming and a fallout even worse.
I loved how each of the timelines wove together to tell a bigger story. And oh what a tale it was. This book really nailed the creepy atmosphere and feeling that something bad was just about to happen. I never felt like any of the women were safe either from the others or even themselves.
There is so much that happens in this book: demons, murder, black magic, blood curses, witches and general craziness. While the narrators were amazing, I definitely wished I had a physical copy to read as well because my attention wandered at some points. I can't decide if I liked Roan or Zoey's POV the best. Both of these girls were easily people I wanted to root for despite strange and dark things happening to/around them.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to be creeped out. It's the perfect book for spooky season.
This was a fucking weird ass book. But you must expect that with Dawn Kurtagich. I read her other book The Dead House and it was equally as creepy. Both are also told in a very interesting format. The full cast audio for Teeth in the Mist was incredible, especially the male narrators.
We follow three young women separated by time, but their stories manage to intersect regardless. Zoey has always been obsessed with witches and the abandoned Medwyn Mill House. She takes her best friend, Poulton, and together they explore the house only to find it isn't completely abandoned. In 1851, Roan is sent to the Mill House as a ward with two other kids her age. When they discover they're connected to ancient secrets, they're desperate to escape before some horrible occurs. 1583, Hermione accompanies her new husband to the wilds of North Wales where they begin to build a water mill and mansion. Rumors of unholy rituals leads to a tragedy no one saw coming and a fallout even worse.
I loved how each of the timelines wove together to tell a bigger story. And oh what a tale it was. This book really nailed the creepy atmosphere and feeling that something bad was just about to happen. I never felt like any of the women were safe either from the others or even themselves.
There is so much that happens in this book: demons, murder, black magic, blood curses, witches and general craziness. While the narrators were amazing, I definitely wished I had a physical copy to read as well because my attention wandered at some points. I can't decide if I liked Roan or Zoey's POV the best. Both of these girls were easily people I wanted to root for despite strange and dark things happening to/around them.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to be creeped out. It's the perfect book for spooky season.
June 5, 2019
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When I read the last sentence, I closed the book and stared at it in my lap for a solid minute. All I could think was “What the hell did I just read?”…. but in the best way possible! This book was HIGHLY addicting. Maybe even bordering on obsessive and hypnotic! None of which I was expecting. This book was such a surprise!
Let me first warn you that this book was REALLY hard to get into. I almost DNF’d it within the first 40 pages because I was so dang confused! So I’ll start with explaining the basics in the hopes that it clears things up for you and makes it an easier start. We get 3 “perspectives” that span from the 1500’s until current day. First we have Zoey, who is our present day perspective. She sees dark figures and has abilities to “conjure” along with her father. But their conjuring comes at a price. Her’s is truth and blood. Her fathers was memory. After visiting a place called Mill House he lost all his memories and now lives in assisted care and doesn’t even remember his family. So Zoey sets out to investigate Mill House in the hopes that she can cure her father. Perspective two is Roan in the 1800’s. After her father, who taught her dark magic, dies, she travels to a place called Mill House to be the ward of Dr Maudley. She doesn’t know this man, or even why her father left her in his care. But when strange things happen and people go missing, she wonders if her training as a child has something to do with it. Perspective three is Hermoine, set in the 1500’s. Her perspective comes in the form of diary entries. She and her husband founded and built Mill House. As it turns out, strange happenings have been going on for centuries. All of these women have a connection. Something dark in common. And this book brings the whole thing together.
Let me also warn you – this book is DARK! I mean reallllly dark….. and I loved every minute of it! It’s a retelling of the legend of Faust. A German tale of a man who sold his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and a long life. But this book takes it to a level that I could never expect! There was madness, magic, languages, abilities, symbols, missing people, priests, torture, death, and so much more! If this could be made into a movie I still don’t think that it would live up to what I imagined in my head while reading this. It was creepy, dark, and generously twisted…… I’m not kidding! I really wish that I could explain in some detail the things that happened but, I wouldn’t want to spoil a single delicious detail. I know I just finished this, but I almost want to go back and reread a few parts because it was just so creepy!!!
And then there’s the format! I absolutely can’t wait until this is published and I can take a look at the final product! Sprinkled throughout are pictures (that were not included in the ARC version), drawings, and letters. I can only imagine that seeing pictures would increase the creep factor! Fans of Ransom Riggs will LOVE this! And then another interesting format was Zoey’s perspective. For the most part, we learned of her tale through journal entries and transcriptions of the videos she took while at Mill House. This reminded me SO much of The Blair Witch Project movie. The snapshots of what she was seeing, journal entires with what she was feeling, the conflict between friends, the madness and distrust…. Each perspective gave us something totally different and brought so many layers to this story. Between the enormity of the plot itself, the span of time, and the different ways this story was told, this is one of the most layered and complicated books I’ve ever read! And being that these three women were from very different periods of time, the author did a great job with the differences in language, dress, and social interaction.
I really wish I could say more! I could go on forever about this book but I don’t want to ruin the reading experience for anyone! I finished this in less than 48 hours…. I couldn’t stop reading and I NEEDED to know what was happening!
Thank you so much to Little Brown and Hachette Book Group Canada for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are uninfluenced.
When I read the last sentence, I closed the book and stared at it in my lap for a solid minute. All I could think was “What the hell did I just read?”…. but in the best way possible! This book was HIGHLY addicting. Maybe even bordering on obsessive and hypnotic! None of which I was expecting. This book was such a surprise!
Let me first warn you that this book was REALLY hard to get into. I almost DNF’d it within the first 40 pages because I was so dang confused! So I’ll start with explaining the basics in the hopes that it clears things up for you and makes it an easier start. We get 3 “perspectives” that span from the 1500’s until current day. First we have Zoey, who is our present day perspective. She sees dark figures and has abilities to “conjure” along with her father. But their conjuring comes at a price. Her’s is truth and blood. Her fathers was memory. After visiting a place called Mill House he lost all his memories and now lives in assisted care and doesn’t even remember his family. So Zoey sets out to investigate Mill House in the hopes that she can cure her father. Perspective two is Roan in the 1800’s. After her father, who taught her dark magic, dies, she travels to a place called Mill House to be the ward of Dr Maudley. She doesn’t know this man, or even why her father left her in his care. But when strange things happen and people go missing, she wonders if her training as a child has something to do with it. Perspective three is Hermoine, set in the 1500’s. Her perspective comes in the form of diary entries. She and her husband founded and built Mill House. As it turns out, strange happenings have been going on for centuries. All of these women have a connection. Something dark in common. And this book brings the whole thing together.
Let me also warn you – this book is DARK! I mean reallllly dark….. and I loved every minute of it! It’s a retelling of the legend of Faust. A German tale of a man who sold his soul to the devil in exchange for knowledge and a long life. But this book takes it to a level that I could never expect! There was madness, magic, languages, abilities, symbols, missing people, priests, torture, death, and so much more! If this could be made into a movie I still don’t think that it would live up to what I imagined in my head while reading this. It was creepy, dark, and generously twisted…… I’m not kidding! I really wish that I could explain in some detail the things that happened but, I wouldn’t want to spoil a single delicious detail. I know I just finished this, but I almost want to go back and reread a few parts because it was just so creepy!!!
And then there’s the format! I absolutely can’t wait until this is published and I can take a look at the final product! Sprinkled throughout are pictures (that were not included in the ARC version), drawings, and letters. I can only imagine that seeing pictures would increase the creep factor! Fans of Ransom Riggs will LOVE this! And then another interesting format was Zoey’s perspective. For the most part, we learned of her tale through journal entries and transcriptions of the videos she took while at Mill House. This reminded me SO much of The Blair Witch Project movie. The snapshots of what she was seeing, journal entires with what she was feeling, the conflict between friends, the madness and distrust…. Each perspective gave us something totally different and brought so many layers to this story. Between the enormity of the plot itself, the span of time, and the different ways this story was told, this is one of the most layered and complicated books I’ve ever read! And being that these three women were from very different periods of time, the author did a great job with the differences in language, dress, and social interaction.
I really wish I could say more! I could go on forever about this book but I don’t want to ruin the reading experience for anyone! I finished this in less than 48 hours…. I couldn’t stop reading and I NEEDED to know what was happening!
Thank you so much to Little Brown and Hachette Book Group Canada for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are uninfluenced.
December 19, 2019
I noticed I rated this a 4 star... After thinking on this and I keep wanting to reread and I talk to everyone about this book - I am changing it to a 5 star. This book was great.
Trigger Warning: Demonic sounds in the audiobook, Death, Gore, Creepy factors, Cutting, self-harm.
I took a few days to dwell on this one! I really enjoyed the book but I had to take a moment and wrap my head around the timelines and how they all came together. I am going with a 4.5 star on this. I think the timelines throw me off some and then the ending is a bit confusing so that is why the book is not a full 5 stars.
I did listen to this on audiobook and the audiobook along deserves 5 Stars. So I am giving the book a 4 and the audiobook a 5 so leaving my rating a 4.5. I did read and follow along with the audiobook in the hardback book just so I could see the pictures and format that was set up in the book. They were both done very well as far as formatting.
We follow several POV's in the book which each had their own timeline. This audiobook had amazing sound effects. The voices were outstanding. It made the book so creepy just hearing the sounds and the voices instead of just reading it.
Zoey (NOW)
Roan (1851)
Hermione (1583)
You also have several others in the time that Roan was in when she arrived at Mill House that arrived with her. She tells her story as she seen it there, with their stories as well. They are all connected to one thing, Mill House.
Roan arrives at Mill house as a ward of the state. She arrives and finds that the house feels uneasy. Things are not what they appear here. Sounds and the darkness surround her everywhere.
Zoey is in the now and has always been fascinated with Mill house so she and her best friend, Pole, set off to explore Mill Hose and to find out why it drove her dad mad.
Hermione lived in 1853 and you get her dairy entries as she telling her story. You hear the match strick and light the candle as she writes and then she tells her story. She and her husband are expecting a child and have just acquired Mill House but soon she notices things are not right. You follow her journey in the darkness of Mill House.
There are 3 things that Mill House has in every timeline and POV - it is dark, creepy, and has many deaths. The mountain scenes were done in great detail. The darkness seeped through the pages.
You also soon realize that they were not just randomly chosen for Mill House. They were all brought there for a reason. BUT WHY?
SPOILERS GOING FOWARD BASED ON ME HAVING QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED"
Can someone help me out with the timelines?
Trigger Warning: Demonic sounds in the audiobook, Death, Gore, Creepy factors, Cutting, self-harm.
I took a few days to dwell on this one! I really enjoyed the book but I had to take a moment and wrap my head around the timelines and how they all came together. I am going with a 4.5 star on this. I think the timelines throw me off some and then the ending is a bit confusing so that is why the book is not a full 5 stars.
I did listen to this on audiobook and the audiobook along deserves 5 Stars. So I am giving the book a 4 and the audiobook a 5 so leaving my rating a 4.5. I did read and follow along with the audiobook in the hardback book just so I could see the pictures and format that was set up in the book. They were both done very well as far as formatting.
We follow several POV's in the book which each had their own timeline. This audiobook had amazing sound effects. The voices were outstanding. It made the book so creepy just hearing the sounds and the voices instead of just reading it.
Zoey (NOW)
Roan (1851)
Hermione (1583)
You also have several others in the time that Roan was in when she arrived at Mill House that arrived with her. She tells her story as she seen it there, with their stories as well. They are all connected to one thing, Mill House.
Roan arrives at Mill house as a ward of the state. She arrives and finds that the house feels uneasy. Things are not what they appear here. Sounds and the darkness surround her everywhere.
Zoey is in the now and has always been fascinated with Mill house so she and her best friend, Pole, set off to explore Mill Hose and to find out why it drove her dad mad.
Hermione lived in 1853 and you get her dairy entries as she telling her story. You hear the match strick and light the candle as she writes and then she tells her story. She and her husband are expecting a child and have just acquired Mill House but soon she notices things are not right. You follow her journey in the darkness of Mill House.
There are 3 things that Mill House has in every timeline and POV - it is dark, creepy, and has many deaths. The mountain scenes were done in great detail. The darkness seeped through the pages.
You also soon realize that they were not just randomly chosen for Mill House. They were all brought there for a reason. BUT WHY?
SPOILERS GOING FOWARD BASED ON ME HAVING QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED"
Can someone help me out with the timelines?
June 25, 2019
The full review + more can be found at The Book Bratz
*Trigger Warning: This book does contain a scene with self harm.*
I'm on a horror novel kick lately, so I was super excited when my library got a copy of Teeth in the Mist. I've seen so many people say how creepy and dark and fantastic this book was so I couldn't wait to get my teeth into it. (Ha, see what I did there? Teeth.) I've loved Dawn's previous novels so I figured I was hitting a home run with Teeth in the Mist but quite honestly, I'm still not sure how I feel about this book.
I am a fast reader, I can read about 100-150 pages in about an hour depending on the genre of a novel. I am not sure if I missed certain details from events that happened in Teeth in the Mist because I was reading so fast, because I was getting that two plus two equals and goat with glowing red eyes and I am honestly confused.
I enjoyed the alternating POVs and how Roan's was in a standard story telling way and Zoey was through journal entries and video footage. We also have some of Hermione's dairy entries thrown in there. I love books that have unconventional formats so I was really excited to see that Teeth in the Mist contained letters, photos and journal entries mixed through out the novel.
I don't think that Teeth in the Mist was a horrible book. I really enjoy Dawn's writing and I loved her characters. I just didn't understand a lot of what happened and it may have been because I wasn't absorbing much detail as I was reading. But from I did understand of the story is had me turning the pages and eager to attempt to put the puzzle of this book together.
If you are looking for a book that is going to send chill down your spine and make you want to sleep with a light on, Teeth in the Mist is the perfect book for you. Sadly for me this isn't my favorite book by Dawn but I am still super excited to see what she is going to write in the future.
*Trigger Warning: This book does contain a scene with self harm.*
I'm on a horror novel kick lately, so I was super excited when my library got a copy of Teeth in the Mist. I've seen so many people say how creepy and dark and fantastic this book was so I couldn't wait to get my teeth into it. (Ha, see what I did there? Teeth.) I've loved Dawn's previous novels so I figured I was hitting a home run with Teeth in the Mist but quite honestly, I'm still not sure how I feel about this book.
I am a fast reader, I can read about 100-150 pages in about an hour depending on the genre of a novel. I am not sure if I missed certain details from events that happened in Teeth in the Mist because I was reading so fast, because I was getting that two plus two equals and goat with glowing red eyes and I am honestly confused.
I enjoyed the alternating POVs and how Roan's was in a standard story telling way and Zoey was through journal entries and video footage. We also have some of Hermione's dairy entries thrown in there. I love books that have unconventional formats so I was really excited to see that Teeth in the Mist contained letters, photos and journal entries mixed through out the novel.
I don't think that Teeth in the Mist was a horrible book. I really enjoy Dawn's writing and I loved her characters. I just didn't understand a lot of what happened and it may have been because I wasn't absorbing much detail as I was reading. But from I did understand of the story is had me turning the pages and eager to attempt to put the puzzle of this book together.
If you are looking for a book that is going to send chill down your spine and make you want to sleep with a light on, Teeth in the Mist is the perfect book for you. Sadly for me this isn't my favorite book by Dawn but I am still super excited to see what she is going to write in the future.
June 30, 2019
If you’re looking for a really creepy and gruesome horror novel- then look no further! I listened to the audiobook and let me tell you- it is phenomenally well done! Lots of spooky sound effects, whispering demonic voices...basically don’t listen to this alone at night 😂 I will say, I wish I also had a physical copy to read along with because not only does the physical copy have illustrations and other little extras, but I truely had a hard time keeping up with everything that occurred at the end of the story! I had to rewind quite a few times to try and get my head around all the reveals, and I’m still sure I missed quite a bit. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this! It’s hard to find a horror story that actually gives me the chills, but this one delivered. I’m excited to read more from this author and I would highly recommend giving this a go if “gruesome horror” is your jam!
August 2, 2019
Cool. I'm not gonna sleep tonight. All I'll see is a shadow in the corner of my room on a rocking chair! The audiobook gave me the eeby geebies with the devil whispering and stuff. I read my first HORROR! I read Sawkill but it was more of a paranormal mystery. This was a HORROR and I liked it!
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