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Burn the Dark

(Malus Domestica #1)

S.A. Hunt (Goodreads Author)

3.77 · Rating details · 567 ratings · 183 reviews

Supernatural meets Stranger Things in award-winning author S. A. Hunt’s Burn the Dark, first in the Malus Domestica horror action-adventure series about a punk YouTuber on a mission to bring down witches, one vid at a time.

Robin is a YouTube celebrity gone-viral with her intensely-realistic witch hunter series. But even her millions of followers don't know the truth: her s ...more

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Paperback, 2nd, 384 pages

Published January 14th 2020 by Tor Books (first published July 20th 2015)

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· 567 ratings · 183 reviews

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Nov 18, 2019 Chelsea Humphrey rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: from-publisher, netgalley

3-3.5 stars

This was a fun and crazy ride! On the whole I enjoyed this, although it did feel like the pacing halted a bit towards the middle, but picked up spectacularly from 70% on. If you enjoy a nice blend of high fantasy and dark urban supernatural (I.E. Buffy-esque storyline), give this one a try!

*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy via NetGalley!

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Dec 21, 2019 Schizanthus Nerd rated it really liked it

Shelves: content-warnings, netgalley, kindle-food

“The Red Lord will find you.”

Robin has a mohawk, a cherished fifteen year old stuffed mosquito called Mr. Nosy and a popular YouTube channel called ‘MalusDomestica’. Her subscribers think what they’re watching is fake, but it’s anything but. [If you’re wondering, ‘malus domestica’ is Latin for “the common apple tree”. You’ll learn the significance of this name during the book.]

Robin travels around the country in her van hunting witches. Robin’s father was convicted of killing her mother but R ...more

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Oct 08, 2015 Erika rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: dark-fantasy, fantasy, horror, urban-fantasy, action-packed, psychological-issues, kids-that-i-don-t-hate, so-weird-that-i-ll-probably-love-it, thrills-and-chills, interesting-premise

3.5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed Malus Domestica, from the kick ass heroine that didn't need a guy to save her to the fact that there was multiple black folks in it. It was a lot of fun to read. I took away some stars because the book got a little too convoluted and unbelievable towards the middle, and yes I say unbelievable even for a fantasy/horror novel. To me any book with supernatural or fantasy elements still has to have some base in facts or, if the facts are made up, they need to be explain 3.5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed Malus Domestica, from the kick ass heroine that didn't need a guy to save her to the fact that there was multiple black folks in it. It was a lot of fun to read. I took away some stars because the book got a little too convoluted and unbelievable towards the middle, and yes I say unbelievable even for a fantasy/horror novel. To me any book with supernatural or fantasy elements still has to have some base in facts or, if the facts are made up, they need to be explained in a way that makes sense. This book felt a little "throw everything into it and see how it works" towards the last half and it suffered for it a bit. However, I felt that the author made a spectacular recovery from that at about 70% and ended everything with a bang.

There was a lot of great action with added sound effects throughout Malus Domestica, which sounds silly but was done in such a way that it really helped to set the tone of the book. Even though there were a lot of characters and multiple viewpoints, they were all (mostly) well fleshed out and present throughout the book. The only time I felt the lack of one character was (view spoiler). Other than that part, I think the author handled his ensemble cast very well.

I would have wished that some of the black folks didn't speak so stereotypically, but I'm always going to think that about any books with black people, since the only accent some of the people in my family might have would be a Caribbean Hispanic accent or a New York accent and not a "stereotypical Black person dialect". I will say that none of the black people acted stereotypically and they weren't poor and downtrodden, which I thought was excellent. Yay for actual diversity in fantasy fiction!

All in all, this was a really good book that could either be a standalone or the start of a series. I'd never read this author before but I definitely need to check out some of his other fare. ...more

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Jul 26, 2015 Joshua rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 2015, horror

If you like good books and you aren't reading S.A. Hunt, you're fucking doing it all wrong. Forget the authors that line the aisles of the brick and mortar giants. Read S.A. HUNT. This guy is one of my favorites and this book will not disappoint you. If it does...get back to your Koontz and Patterson. Go back to the kid's table...I'll be over her eating this fucking turkey and green bean casserole like a damned adult! ...more

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Aug 01, 2015 Matthew Cox rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Malus Domestica by SA Hunt is a masterful tale of supernatural horror told with an ensemble cast. The mythology/setting that he’s created is fantastic, deep, and creepy as all hell. This author has a gift for description that paints vivid (often disturbingly so) images in the mind. One caveat―if you are a cat lover, this book is going to be quite disturbing. Some parts were hard to read.

The description on the jacket makes it sound like Robin is the "main" character, but in the beginning of the b Malus Domestica by SA Hunt is a masterful tale of supernatural horror told with an ensemble cast. The mythology/setting that he’s created is fantastic, deep, and creepy as all hell. This author has a gift for description that paints vivid (often disturbingly so) images in the mind. One caveat―if you are a cat lover, this book is going to be quite disturbing. Some parts were hard to read.

The description on the jacket makes it sound like Robin is the "main" character, but in the beginning of the book she feels more like an equal part of a large cast. At about the 70% mark, she takes a more prominent role as the story brings the multiple characters together as all of them are affected in one way or another by an ancient and powerful coven of witches who dwell in Blackfield, GA.

Robin is a witch hunter. The Blackfield coven killed her mother prior to the events of the story when Robin was still a child, an event that has left deep emotional wounds. After years in a psychiatric facility (child Robin made the mistake of telling the authorities witches did it), an enigmatic occultist finds and trains her to do one thing: kill witches. Problem is, killing things that are already dead is often a tricky (and painful) task.

Increasing hallucinations of a strange creature, dreams of her mother, and an inexorable pull to return draw Robin back to her childhood home. It is time for her to face her demons once and for all.

This book has a lot of characters, but unlike what can often happen with such a large cast, I never felt as though I got lost as to who is who. Each character is portrayed vividly, from the minor characters (like the child that decides to hide in the wrong car) to the primary characters like Robin, Wayne, Joel, and Kenway - and of course the witches. You know you are reading the work of a gifted author when you have been shown how awful and evil the primary antagonist can be - yet in a quiet moment where they are talking to Robin, you start to wonder if the old woman has a point... maybe it is Robin who's misguided. Maybe they could bury the hatchet... and you almost want them to. THAT is a great story.

I don't, as a general rule, read a lot of novels classified as 'horror,' but I decided to jump on this one based on his previous Outlaw King books. I'm glad I did. This is a long book - and I still got so caught up in it that I finished it one day. Hollywood needs to stop with the remakes and start reading some of SA Hunt's books.

This book will make you change your mind on self-published authors. The formatting and editing were near perfect. If I had been unfamiliar with SA Hunt's prior work, and someone told me this was from a major publisher, I wouldn't have doubted. Malus Domestica is a near-flawless foray into a frightening world of dark thaumaturgy, mystery, and evil that will haunt you for quite some time.

If I had to say something critical, it would be that some of the scenes (where new characters are brought in) may feel extraneous at first... You've been reading about one character and then the action jumps to someone new that doesn't seem related to anything going on―but it all winds up tying together and making perfect sense by the end. (That… and I felt bad for the cats.)
...more

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Apr 15, 2020 Lollita rated it it was ok

Shelves: arc, giveaways

I received a copy of this book through giveaways. Well it wasn't terrible but it wasn't for me. I couldn't get into the story or the writing, I also didnt really like or connect with any character. Ended up skimming the last half of the book. ...more

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Aug 14, 2015 Mike rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I've got a lot to say about this one, so for those who don't want to read this whole thing, I'll sum up: this book is really good. Go read it.

Now, more details. First thing I want to say is that, thanks to me winning a little contest on Reddit, there's a character named after me in Malus Domestica. And that character gets brutally murdered, which is AWESOME. My mother didn't seem to appreciate it all that much (philistine), but I love it.

As for the book itself, I'll start with the setting. I gre I've got a lot to say about this one, so for those who don't want to read this whole thing, I'll sum up: this book is really good. Go read it.

Now, more details. First thing I want to say is that, thanks to me winning a little contest on Reddit, there's a character named after me in Malus Domestica. And that character gets brutally murdered, which is AWESOME. My mother didn't seem to appreciate it all that much (philistine), but I love it.

As for the book itself, I'll start with the setting. I grew up in a small, moderately depressed, rural town with a small university. It was in Appalachia rather than the deep South, but still, Blackfield felt really, really familiar to me. Hunt really beautifully captured the feel of that kind of town. I was picturing actual streets and neighborhoods from back home while reading this, and they fit in perfectly. So kudos for the setting.

The protagonist took a little while to grow on me, though I cared about the side characters right away (Wayne especially). I didn't have huge blocks of time to sit and read for hours with this book, which made it really difficult to deal with every time that a character was in danger. I was really worrying about them.

For Robin, like I said, I was cool at first. Not entirely sure why, but it wasn't until she faced some danger that I really warmed up to her. I think it was a matter of her being closed off. She needed some time to open up to those around her, and that was the point when she opened up to the reader as well. The more I think about it, the more I think it actually worked very well.

The plot and story were very intriguing. There were a number of events that caught me totally off guard, and in the places where I could see there was Something Mysterious going on, Hunt managed to hit the balance perfectly between doling out hints and clues and letting it drag on. That's a tricky needle to thread.

So what didn't I enjoy? Well, there's a matter of taste here. Malus Domestica is a horror/fantasy book, and normally I don't read much horror. Hunt did a good job reminding me why. For the back half of the book, I made certain to not read while eating. All that isn't criticism, it's just not what I enjoy reading. Horror fans, I'm certain, will eat it up. Cat lovers might have some issues.

My only real critique is a minor one. The infodumps stuck out: the action stopped while we got explanations of history and what all is going on. But the infodumps were few and far between, and didn't affect my enjoyment of the book.

Bottom line: I really liked this book. I really cared about the characters, which is the most important thing for me. I want to read sequels. And best of all, Mike De Palatis ends up dangling upside down from the ceiling, bleeding out into a white plastic bucket. (Don't worry, no spoilers. I'm really a minor character who's clearly just a doomed Redshirt.) ...more

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Jan 30, 2020 Mogsy (MMOGC) rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: wishlist, urban, audiobook, fantasy, paranormal, review-copy, witches-and-wizards

3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/02/03/...

Meet Robin Martine, a social media personality and self-styled witch hunter who achieved internet fame with her wildly popular YouTube channel, Malus Domestica. Traveling around the country, Robin leads her followers to believe that her videos are nothing more than a cleverly acted, special effects laden mockumentary-style series depicting her witch hunting adventures—a fiction she’s more than happy to go along with, becau 3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2020/02/03/...

Meet Robin Martine, a social media personality and self-styled witch hunter who achieved internet fame with her wildly popular YouTube channel, Malus Domestica. Traveling around the country, Robin leads her followers to believe that her videos are nothing more than a cleverly acted, special effects laden mockumentary-style series depicting her witch hunting adventures—a fiction she’s more than happy to go along with, because the truth is much more terrifying. For you see, witches are very real, and they have caused Robin no small amount of pain and grief. When she was a young girl, a coven of them killed her mother, destroying her family and upending her whole life. Robin has been on a mission for vengeance ever since, trying to track down the witches responsible.

Now, upon receiving an ominous message about the Red Lord, a malevolent demon that has been dogging her every step, Robin finds that her journey has led her back to her hometown of Blackfield, Georgia. Her childhood home, the site of so many bad memories, has long been fixed up and was sold only recently to a father and his son who are experiencing some very strange phenomena in their new house. Something evil has awakened within its walls, and Robin soon discovers that the circumstances surrounding the events which have brought her back to where everything started are much more complicated that she realized.

Anyway, I have some very mixed feelings about this one. It took me a while to get a feel for this novel, because I had such hard time connecting to its characters and story. I only discovered after finishing Burn the Dark that it was originally self-published, but I’m assuming some reworking and polishing had been done for its second release once it was picked up by Tor Books. In light of this, I feel even more terrible for saying this, but perhaps a little more time at the editing chair could have helped, especially for the first half of the book. In short, the reason I had such difficulty getting into it had a lot to do with the narrative’s overall disjointedness, including how time would skip haphazardly from present to the past, or the way perspectives would shift so frequently that you could barely even tell Robin was supposed to be our main protagonist.

The good news is, after the halfway mark, the experience improves as the story finds its legs and picks back up. If the book still has your attention at this point, I think you’d be pleased you stuck with it, but there are still a few obstacles to overcome. Namely, the characters themselves are pretty bland—not merely based off of well-known archetypes, but the author actually goes quite overboard with the clichés. Robin is practically a caricature of the broken, angsty heroine—which isn’t really a negative by itself, but it does become a problem when readers aren’t getting the full picture of her backstory for the first half of the book, so she just comes off as angry and entitled.

Then there was the writing. Not bad, but certain passages did leap out at me as being overwritten and unnecessarily embellished. To be fair though, I noticed this while listening to the audio version, and perhaps the prose would read smoother in print form.

At the end of the day, had the plot been tightened up and the characters written with slightly more originality, Burn the Dark could have been amazing. That said, while there’s still a lot holding the book back, I think S.A. Hunt is on to something good here, and we’ve at least established a good foundation for future volumes to build upon. Certainly, the last quarter of the novel provided what much of the first half was lacking—excitement, conflict, and most important of all, a clear direction. In a way, this section truly saved the book; it’s a promise that more is coming, and even though the hook came a little too late in this one, perhaps the sequel will be better because we’ll be able to jump right into the action.

Audiobook Comments: This isn’t the first audiobook I’ve listened to with Saskia Maarleveld as narrator, but for the first time it’s really hit me just how unbelievably talented she is. Faults of the book aside, I loved her performance, the way she handled accents and made the best out of some of the hammy dialogue and purplish prose. I don’t think I would have enjoyed this book as much had I read it in print form, and it’s all thanks to the fantastic narration. ...more

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Jul 29, 2015 Ashe Armstrong rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: horror

Whoo boy, where to start. I was looking forward to reading this one for a long while. Mr. Hunt would post snippets for all of us to gobble up and it just made it worse. And now, here I am, after glow, typing this up for anyone who might want a little more thoughts on why they should read the book. This was one helluva ride. I'm already a fan of Sam's. I've read Outlaw King 1 and 2 and loved them. If you loved those books, the excellence continues here.

There's a pretty big cast of characters in ...more

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Jan 21, 2020 FanFiAddict rated it liked it

Rating: 7.0/10

Thanks to the publisher and author for an advance reading copy of Burn the Dark (Malus Domestica #1) in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this eARC did not influence my thoughts or opinions on the novel.

I remember purchasing Burn the Dark when it was first released in 2015 under the name Malus Domestica (Malus Domestica #1). It was a release that had circled around my social media pages for a while and I picked it up solely based on the synopsis and original cover art.

Unfort Rating: 7.0/10

Thanks to the publisher and author for an advance reading copy of Burn the Dark (Malus Domestica #1) in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this eARC did not influence my thoughts or opinions on the novel.

I remember purchasing Burn the Dark when it was first released in 2015 under the name Malus Domestica (Malus Domestica #1). It was a release that had circled around my social media pages for a while and I picked it up solely based on the synopsis and original cover art.

Unfortunately, it became just another one of those ebooks that was purchased and set aside to make way for more. That is the unfortunate think about non-traditionally published novels that go on sale. They are bought and easily forgotten, aging away on your reading device until they are either forgotten about or brought into the fold of Big 5 publishing. Well, thanks to Tor Books, Hunt’s novel was resurrected and brought back into my life via a new cover, new synopsis, and an advance reading opportunity.

Burn the Dark (Malus Domestica #1) is only the beginning of what I can expect to be one of the next best urban fantasy series. While it does suffer a bit from a slow-ish middle and doesn’t quite pack the hack-n-slashery I was anticipating, Hunt does bring a fantastic new heroine to the fantasy/horror crossover genre and I am absolutely here for her.

Hunt does a great job of immediately pulling you into the Southern Gothic setting of the novel, which fits right at home with me being from Alabama. They perfectly capture the look, feel, sounds and smells of Southern America from the environments to the food, but especially the dialogue between the characters. Believe me when I say this because I can easily picture these characters in my hometown, and I may have even been one of them at one point in time.

While I wish there had been more slaying and less build-up, much like you get with Sean Grigsby’s ‘Smoke Eaters’ from Angry Robot as an example, understanding a bit more about Robin’s background and motivations for what she does is required to set up the end of the novel and the rest of the series. Hunt packs enough at the beginning and end to keep the reader on their heels and coming back for more, especially with the inclusion of the Red Lord. Think of it like a beefed up demogorgon, or at least I did.

If you enjoy stories in the vein of Stranger Things, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or Supernatural, give Burn the Dark a shot. I think you’ll find plenty to enjoy and come back for. Honestly, even if those are your cup of tea, I think this one is worth it. Just know that there is some fairly coarse language throughout, but when a novel deals with slaying witches and exacting revenge, it ain’t all rainbows and gumdrops. ...more

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Jan 20, 2020 Holly (The Grimdragon) rated it liked it

Shelves: horror-mystery-thriller

"If you got any doubt about what I'm doing, you gotta get this in your head right now: these fuckers ain't Wiccans or hippies, they ain't those chicks from The Craft, they ain't Sabrina or the chick from Bewitched. These bitches are the real deal. Lieutenants of Hell on a vacation to Earth. Soul-sucking hag-beasts."

Burn the Dark, the new novel from S.A. Hunt, was originally self-published in 2015. Then along came Tor Books, who picked it up and has since turned it into a series.

Following Robin M "If you got any doubt about what I'm doing, you gotta get this in your head right now: these fuckers ain't Wiccans or hippies, they ain't those chicks from The Craft, they ain't Sabrina or the chick from Bewitched. These bitches are the real deal. Lieutenants of Hell on a vacation to Earth. Soul-sucking hag-beasts."

Burn the Dark, the new novel from S.A. Hunt, was originally self-published in 2015. Then along came Tor Books, who picked it up and has since turned it into a series.

Following Robin Martine, aka Malus, as she hunts witches and documents the action on her YouTube channel, Malus Domestica. The videos go viral, reaching millions of followers. However, the audience just assumes that the action is fake. Surely the realistic violence is the result of a talented, albeit amateur, performer?

Except witches are real and so is the footage that Robin uploads to her channel. Her fans have no idea that she is on a mission to avenge the death of her mother, who was killed by a coven of witches.

Returning to her hometown in Georgia, she discovers another family living in her old house. This family is dealing with their own demons, but it's what is awakened in the house that will truly test them.

"Or an alien, maybe. Some ancient extradimensional being just too old and too weird for people's boring bullshit. Or maybe like we went to Narnia, had a bunch of adventures, and now we're back on Earth, but now we're part elf or something, and we've got this magic sword, and we know what it's like to fight centaurs, and just, nobody around you can understand that shit, so you keep it to yourself, and you hold it inside you so tightly it twists you, makes you weird."

Burn the Dark has a True Blood meets Supernatural meets Buffy and the Scooby Gang as written by Dean Koontz vibe. Full of atmosphere, madcap carnage, witches, humor, action and a wonderfully diverse cast of characters. Each one of them broken in some way.

It's a very current story, with the focus on viral videos and YouTube fame. There are certainly more than a few creepy aspects to social media and Burn the Dark touches on those. Easily digested content, influencers, the lack of privacy, what's real and what isn't. Social media isn't the only monster that Robin is confronted with though, as she navigates past trauma and learning to open up to others.

Burn the Dark is a promising start to a new action-adventure horror series!

(Thanks to Tor Books for sending me a copy!)

**The quotes above were taken from an ARC & are subject to change upon publication** ...more

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Jan 20, 2020 Bethany rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2020-interested, lgbtq

A punk witch-hunter with a YouTube channel on mission of revenge plus a group of kids with Stranger Things vibes in the American South, where the horror is sometimes less evil witches and more racism and homophobia. Burn the Dark is a fun and cinematic horror novel from a fresh new voice and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. And I need book 2 after that cliffhanger of an ending! I would love to see Netflix pick this up because it would make a fantastic series.

Robin takes down witches on her A punk witch-hunter with a YouTube channel on mission of revenge plus a group of kids with Stranger Things vibes in the American South, where the horror is sometimes less evil witches and more racism and homophobia. Burn the Dark is a fun and cinematic horror novel from a fresh new voice and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it. And I need book 2 after that cliffhanger of an ending! I would love to see Netflix pick this up because it would make a fantastic series.

Robin takes down witches on her popular YouTube channel, but now she is back in her hometown seeking revenge on the witches who killed her mother a decade earlier. Meanwhile, Wayne is a Black kid from Chicago who recently moved into a potential haunted house with his dad who ends up being more important than he realizes.

In some ways this feels like Buffy or Stranger Things. It's definitely horror with a few pretty scary scenes, but horror mixed with fantasy elements, humor, and some really amazing side characters. (For the record, I thought the scene in the public bathroom at night was terrifying) I think this could be a great entry point for paranormal or fantasy readers who want to get into reading horror.

I really appreciated the diverse cast of characters and the places this touches on larger issues: the difficulty of being a gay Black man in the south, PTSD and trauma from military service, complicated relationships with the police force due to race, etc. POC characters feel fully fleshed out rather than stereotyped and there are several of them. The author is queer and served in the military, so it's interesting to see some of their experiences woven into the narrative. But ultimately, all of that is a small part of the larger story about these super creepy witches with interesting mythology. I really enjoyed this and definitely want to read book 2! I received an advance copy of this book for review from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

CW include body horror, monsters, depictions of blood and gore, homophobia, racism, blood magic, creature horror including spiders, moths, and snakes, murder, drug and alcohol abuse, institutionalization due to hallucinations, loss of a parent. ...more

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May 03, 2016 Romina Nicolaides rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A book of truly revolting but thoroughly convincing witches. The scenes are set with extraordinary detail, building a very atmospheric plot of corruptive and enticing magic. The characters were human and at times you wonder if anyone is safe from Cutty and her cronies. Absorbing and entertaining; my only criticism would be the exaggerated use of popular references.

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Jul 05, 2019 Niki rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: horror, action

Nightmares of things they saw as children they have forgotten as adults, their recognition stolen by smiling hags with chips of ice in their eyes, hobgoblins who would have stolen their hearts for an ageless star-beast if not for hungry Robin and the gleaming silver dagger in her hand.

I need to finally write this review so this book can go back on its shelf at last; it's been next to my bed for months, to remind myself that I owe it a review.

Actual rating 3,5 stars, but I'm feeling generous, so ...more

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Sep 27, 2015 Dylan Hearn rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

You have to have some balls to put your work in the same company as Stephen King and Clive Barker (sorry, I’ve not read any Charlaine Harris), either that, or unswerving confidence in your own talent. My guess with S. A. Hunt it’s a bit of both, and in Malus Domestica I can see why. This is an excellent book, with a strong, character-led storyline that’s as unsettling as a childhood nightmare yet twice as entertaining.

A young woman, Robin Martine returns to her hometown, Blackfield, for the firs You have to have some balls to put your work in the same company as Stephen King and Clive Barker (sorry, I’ve not read any Charlaine Harris), either that, or unswerving confidence in your own talent. My guess with S. A. Hunt it’s a bit of both, and in Malus Domestica I can see why. This is an excellent book, with a strong, character-led storyline that’s as unsettling as a childhood nightmare yet twice as entertaining.

A young woman, Robin Martine returns to her hometown, Blackfield, for the first time in years, finally ready to confront her past. At the same time a father and son, Leon and Wayne, move into Robin’s old home, hoping to start life anew after the death of Wayne’s mother. After a simple walk home from his first day at school goes horribly wrong, Wayne survives due to the kindness of their elderly neighbour, Marilyn Cutty. But Cutty isn’t what she seems, as Robin Martine already knows, because Cutty killed her mother years before, with magic.

In Malus Domestica, Hunt has written a story right up there with the best horror authors. From the slow drip of fear during the opening scene as two Mormons realise they should never have agreed to a meal, through to the book’s bloody denouement, Hunt has created a modern take on an old tale with a cracking female lead.

Robin Martine is a great character, both vulnerable and as hard as teak, lost and alone in the world. but driven by the need to revenge her mother. At Blackfield she is supported by equally compelling characters, her old friend Joel and ex-army vet, Kenway, who slowly provides a balancing compassion to Robin’s relentlessness, plus a whole host more.

I loved the atmosphere Hunt built through the story, gradually pulling back the veneer of normality to show us a community ruled by powers rooted in blood and fear, all the while avoiding the many horror cliches but still sprinkling enough weirdness throughout to make the premise unique. The first half of the book really did have the feeling of a Stephen King novel but by the end it was very much in Clive Barker territory, yet uniquely S. A. Hunt. And it’s funny, too.

While the story gradually darkens as it progresses, there were some wonderful carefree moments as well, especially early on as Wayne makes friends at school and agrees to go out on an adventure. It takes real skill to be able to write both light and dark convincingly, and Hunt handles this well.

The book itself wasn’t perfect, there was a little too much explaining how the powers worked for my liking, and while I enjoyed the Avengers style action with the Order of the Dog Star, I felt their sudden appearance was too convenient and needed a little more foreshadowing. That said, these are minor points and didn’t take away any of the shine from what is an excellent book. For once, the comparisons were well deserved. I don’t think it will be long before authors are selling their books “in the tradition of S. A. Hunt.” Highly recommended. ...more

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Aug 16, 2015 Lilly Raines rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This book pulled me in from the very beginning. I’ve never read a story quite like it, and that’s what hooked me: it felt unique, different in the best way. And it never shied away from being different; it embraced it. The author snapped the reins and said, “Onward, to Differentland!” and I hopped into the sleigh like a giddy little elf, eager to be carried away from a world fill with stale plots and forgettable characters. Malus Domestica offers a fresh take on witches and magic, and a diverse ...more

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Jul 30, 2015 Stephanie Embry rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This is hands-down my favorite horror novel since…I’m about to verge on blasphemous here and say since Lost Souls. (Lost Souls is a religious experience, yes.) Guys this book. THIS BOOOOK. I don’t know how Hunt can have such an amazing grip on both the fantastic and the mundane. The real world looks real. The small town, the people, the flies on the wall, the pizza-grease stains on a paper plate…every detail you can name is in 3D technicolor when Hunt is behind the wheel. And yet, while it’s all
This is hands-down my favorite horror novel since…I’m about to verge on blasphemous here and say since Lost Souls. (Lost Souls is a religious experience, yes.) Guys this book. THIS BOOOOK. I don’t know how Hunt can have such an amazing grip on both the fantastic and the mundane. The real world looks real. The small town, the people, the flies on the wall, the pizza-grease stains on a paper plate…every detail you can name is in 3D technicolor when Hunt is behind the wheel. And yet, while it’s all so very real, he also manages to take it to the next step. Real life gets that twist of the bizarre just enough to draw you into a fantasy world. I’m insanely jealous of Hunt’s ability to do this, it’s so damn good.

Right, ok, about the book. Robin is a YouTube star who hunts witches, and I really thought that was a cool angle. I’m really curious about the culture of turning everyone with a camera into celebrities, and I thought that was presented in a super cool way. She’s a badass complete with a mohawk and a van loaded with big knives. She’s got a handsome amputee sidekick and a creepy mentor with a shady past. But the cast of this book is huge, and not a one of them is wasted. Everyone you meet is obviously the hero of their own tale.

(Let’s take a moment to discuss my favorite, Joel. First off, Joel is not having any of your shit today, honey. He’s got a bedazzled baseball bat, a car named Black Velvet, and the attitude to match. He goes from what I feared was going to be the ubiqutous gay friend to an all-out badass in his own way. This is something I really appreciate about all of Hunt’s work: even the sidekicks have real agency.)

Robin is back in her home town to fight the witches that killed her mother, and the story just gets weirder and darker from there. I loved the type of magic Hunt came up with. The witch’s familiars were fascinating and the inclusion of the new tenants in Robin’s old house lent everything just the right amount of humanity. The plot was twisty and super satisfying, but never predictable. The action moves along at exactly the right pace. Hunt utilizes a shifting POV, but 1) you’re never taken too far away from the main characters, and 2) every chapter is crucial and very entertaining. The horror elements lean more towards the psychologically creepy than the gory, but you blood-n-guts fans will find more than enough here to keep you going.

If you can’t remember the last time you were so caught up in a story that you read till 4AM without even noticing, this is The One. Get it.
...more

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Aug 13, 2015 Eric rated it really liked it · review of another edition

If you like urban fantasy, but feel like the fact that characters know about magic and monsters takes away some of the fear and power, this book is probably for you. If you're into horror but wish the main characters had a bit more agency, this book is probably for you.

The story opens with Our Heroine, Robin Martine, coming back to her home town. She's been hunting down witches, which very few people know really exist, and posting videos of her exploits on YouTube. The populace thinks she's just If you like urban fantasy, but feel like the fact that characters know about magic and monsters takes away some of the fear and power, this book is probably for you. If you're into horror but wish the main characters had a bit more agency, this book is probably for you.

The story opens with Our Heroine, Robin Martine, coming back to her home town. She's been hunting down witches, which very few people know really exist, and posting videos of her exploits on YouTube. The populace thinks she's just a CG wizard posting a popular web series, but revenue sharing keeps her creeper van running and her Holy Water stocked up.

She's returned home to tackle the thing that started her on this road to begin with - taking down the coven that murdered her mother.

Before long she reunites with Joel (Jo-ell), one of a pair of brothers her mother used to watch when they were little.

At this point the book kind of diverges into two stories in two different genres, with some interstitial material tying them together.

Robin's story is a dark variety of urban fantasy. Robin is the hunter, and she's preparing herself to take on dangerous prey in the form of the coven.

Joel, along with Wayne and Leon (a father and son living in Robin's old house) are the focus of a horror story. Like most horror stories, their parts are reactive. They don't understand what's going on, and they're victims of forces and beings beyond their understanding. They aren't hunting anything, just trying to survive.

The stories come back together for the final third and blend very well.

The writing was pretty good, including some Classical reference Easter eggs in the form of certain characters names and such. However, like the Outlaw King book I reviewed before (The Whirlwind in the Thorn Tree) it suffered from a lack of good copy editing. A few continuity problems, some misuses of words, and a few homophone swaps made it into the text. Enough to notice, but not enough to pull me out of enjoying the story. It did, however, drag a very nicely crafted story from 5 stars down to 4. ...more

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Jan 11, 2016 Kate rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, queer

What a book! It's been a while since a book has grabbed me like this one. I was a little hesitant to try "horror" but now feel much better about the genre!

First off, a warning: horrible stuff happens to cats. brace yourself. Some of those scenes were REALLY hard to read.

Loved the characters. Hunt did a superb job fleshing them out, and they all seemed very real to me. I really appreciated the diversity of characters, too. I never expected to get teary over a horror story, but there was more than ...more

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Jan 22, 2020 Stacy Koster rated it it was amazing

I enjoyed this book. The story telling was good. I’m looking forward to reading book two.

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Apr 17, 2016 Albert rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Malus Domestica by S.A. Hunt is a tale of revenge, remorse and regret. The story of a young girl in search of the past that was stolen from her and the unveiling of the hidden secrets that will change her world forever.

"...You needs to stop playin. I assume huntin witches means killin witches, and there ain't no way you're videotapin that shit. And I want to talk to you without this camera here. Backstage, so to speak. Off the record. Cause I can tell you just puttin on a show for the people at Malus Domestica by S.A. Hunt is a tale of revenge, remorse and regret. The story of a young girl in search of the past that was stolen from her and the unveiling of the hidden secrets that will change her world forever.

"...You needs to stop playin. I assume huntin witches means killin witches, and there ain't no way you're videotapin that shit. And I want to talk to you without this camera here. Backstage, so to speak. Off the record. Cause I can tell you just puttin on a show for the people at home. But I want to talk.' He smiled darkly. 'I know what you doin. You lookin for them, ain't you?'
Her breathing had become labored without her realizing it. She felt cornered. 'Them who?'
'The ones that killed your mama..."

Robin Martine is not your average college age girl. She has survived quite a bit in her time in this world. A survivor of a home filled domestic abuse, witnessing the death of her mother and then what came after. The things she learned not to tell other people. What she was taught by the doctors and psychiatrists could not have possibly happened. What she had to believe did not happen if she ever wanted to get out of the hospital.

So Robin learned to play their game and with time and the help of a crazed mentor she got free and found herself a new hobby. She practices launching hatchets at pumpkins and washing the blood and gore off her clothes at dark and empty laundromats as she travels the country in her broken down van. With a blue mohawk and her collection of swords, she survives off the proceeds of her you tube, a show where she kills witches.

Now she has come home. Where her mother was killed. To the home that keeps calling out to her and to find the three women who live up the hill from her old home. The women who she believes, killed her mother.

The three witches of Blackfield. The three women who helped raise her.

Malus Domestica is a decent book. But if falls short in far too many ways to be a good book. The characters overall are stereotypical and borrowed from other media. This is a bad episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The young witch hunter who is trained by the older hunter who acts as her mentor as she goes around the country killing witches. The sidekicks who are damaged in one way or another, but still have the ability to outsmart or outfight witches, crooked cops and serial killers. Then when all is lost, there is a paternal demon who may or may not be helpful and a cabal of witch hunters who decide, yeah, maybe we'll help out this kid with killing some witches now.

This is bad tv and in a book it is even worse. Malus Domestica did the one thing a book should never do...it constantly reminded me that I was reading a book.

Alot of hype but that is all it was. Hype. ...more

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Feb 09, 2020 Matthew Galloway rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: creepy, fantasy, audiobook

I am wanting book two so badly.

Now, I listened to it and I think that probably elevated the book because the narrator was phenomenal. But I bet the book stands on its own too. It's clever and creepy and not exceptionally gory. It's a little here and there, but in such a way that it definitely straddles the YA and adult fantasy divide. In fact, it even has kind of a MG story tucked inside since once of the characters is young. This isn't to say it's not a sometimes horrifying tale -- I wouldn't ...more

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Sep 29, 2015 OutlawPoet rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Crazy Creepy Cool

This was my first book by S.A. Hunt. After reading this one, I've realized I'm not done with this author. This was pretty cool.

This is a thick, meaty book, full of all sorts of crazy goodness. It's more creepy than scary, but the author has a sense of humor and pulled some genuine laughs out of me (not an easy task). By the way, Afro-cadabra is now a part of my permanent lexicon.

The faint of heart will want to know that this is definitely horror - of the sex, blood and rock and ...more

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Jul 29, 2015 Natty rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

S.A. Hunt is an incredible talent in writing. Reading this tale is akin to sampling a perfectly aged Bordeaux after being forced to drink boxed red blends for years, it's a bloody epiphany. The pacing is tight and flows smoothly from point to point and character to character. The dialogue is masterful giving each character an incredibly unique voice and tone that is maintained throughout the story and even reflects the individual growth of the character as they progress. The style of writing aga ...more

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Jan 11, 2016 Shalla rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

i am not normally a fan of horror but i really enjoyed this book...
i have read all the books in the outlaw king series and became addicted to his wit and quirky style of adding in details that fit with my generation and culture (something hard to find as i am currently living in a different country)...
i really hope that his books can hit the silver screen and that he keeps writing more and more...
i cant wait to travel through his next adventure

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Oct 24, 2016 Sci-Fi & Scary rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Full review later but ..

While S.A. Hunt's Malus Domestica is not for everyone, it's a well-told story that quickly hooks you.

The characters are likeable and memorable. The language is a bit coarse, but funny . Some of the scenes would translate wonderfully to the big screen.

I really liked it. ...more

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Jan 21, 2020 Michelle Kenneth - PerfectionistWannabe.com rated it it was amazing

[Thank you to Tor Books/Netgalley for the advanced copy.]

I absolutely loved this book. Sure, it didn't tie things up at the end, but that's ok. It makes me ready for the next book.

There are a lot of characters in this book, but I love what S. A. Hunt has done in this first book. Hunt has provided us with the back story first for all of the characters. A young woman is cast as the witch-hunter (think Lisbeth Salander from "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" series). She's trained by some big, scary dud [Thank you to Tor Books/Netgalley for the advanced copy.]

I absolutely loved this book. Sure, it didn't tie things up at the end, but that's ok. It makes me ready for the next book.

There are a lot of characters in this book, but I love what S. A. Hunt has done in this first book. Hunt has provided us with the back story first for all of the characters. A young woman is cast as the witch-hunter (think Lisbeth Salander from "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" series). She's trained by some big, scary dude on how to kill witches. There are poor kids, a gay guy, a disabled veteran, and an African-American family with a single dad. There are people who are suffering from loss, grief, alcoholism, drug overdoses, etc. They're just regular people that are going through life with their own problems, all brought together a little serendipitously.

I believe that whatever comes after "Burn the Dark" will be more of the adventure and the 'why' this tribe was brought together. This book is more of the background story behind what is about to happen in this series. Most people do not like books like that, but I believe for this series, this introduction was needed so that you can become invested in these characters.

My favorite character is Wayne (nicknamed Bruce Wayne). He's the new kid in town. He recently lost his mother. His father is broken down and drinking away the pain. They decide to move to this new town to get away from Chicago, because Wayne is starting to fall into bad crowds, and Dad (Leon) really needed a change of scenery. They move into the witch hunter's old house.

This house is where Robin (the witch hunter) lived as a little girl. Her father killed her mother. Robin was thrown into a mental institution because she tried to tell the truth about what happened. But there's no such thing as witches, right?

When Leon and Wayne move into this house, it awakens the Red Lord. Or is it the fact that Robin is back in town that the Red Lord has awakened? But what exactly is the Red Lord? And why does he want Robin?

Wayne's mother's ring though is the most interesting thing about Wayne and Leon's story. When Wayne looks through the ring, he can see doorways, even the Red Lord. I still find it interesting that one doorway led him to Joel, who had been kidnapped. There has to be some significance to this that has yet to be revealed. Perhaps it is the house that ties all of their stories together? Maybe it was not coincidence why Leon/Wayne settled with this particular house to move into.

I liked Hunt's homage to comic books. Fisher (one of the kids Robin's mom used to babysit) runs a comic book store. His favorite character is the Hulk. Why? Because when the Hulk gets mad, he gets stronger. I liked that take on the Hulk. So Hunt throws a little love Marvel's way and a little love towards DC Comics with nicknaming Wayne, Bruce Wayne.

The story also takes a bit of a dark turn when we discover the history behind the abandoned amusement park, the husband to one of the witches, and how the Red Lord came into being. I wasn't expecting this part of the story, so I guess you can say that Hunt put a lot of misery into this book's history. I guess it has a lot to do with the struggles that people go through in life.

There are a lot of dark places these characters are emerging from. A lot of this emergence is about discovering their own identity and how they are coping with the things that broke them inside. That's what is so significant about each character. They are all broken, but somehow they've found each other. Even the kids from the trailer park are part of this story, because they come from broken homes.

They don't know what they are fighting against. They may think they know, but then they discover that maybe everything is not what they believe it is. That's where this book leaves us at the end. Yes, there are questions, but the answers will lie in the next book.

For those looking for a book for the trans/nonbinary author prompt in their reading challenge, look no further. ...more

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Jan 06, 2020 Liz (Quirky Cat) rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020-reads

I received a copy of Burn the Dark through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Burn the Dark is the first novel in S.A. Hunt’s Malus Domestica series. Technically speaking, this isn’t a new series. It’s just that this is the first time we’ll be getting a chance to read it in English. Which is great for me!
The series is an action-adventure horror series, much in the same tone as Stranger Things. Basically, picture a bunch of kids/teenagers off on a witch hunt, and you’ve got an I received a copy of Burn the Dark through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Burn the Dark is the first novel in S.A. Hunt’s Malus Domestica series. Technically speaking, this isn’t a new series. It’s just that this is the first time we’ll be getting a chance to read it in English. Which is great for me!
The series is an action-adventure horror series, much in the same tone as Stranger Things. Basically, picture a bunch of kids/teenagers off on a witch hunt, and you’ve got an understanding of the core of the theme.
Robin is your average teenager. Well, if by average you mean that she lives in her van, runs a YouTube channel, and hunts witches. Yeah, okay, so not exactly normal. She’s been filming her witch hunting escapades for months, and pawning it off as some sort of Blair Witch Project for the sake of income.
The real question is; why did Robin start hunting witches? And how far can she go, when working solo? As it turns out, she won’t be by herself for very long. As for the reason she hunts witches? That’s personal.

“They die from the inside out. The deadness slowly makes its way to the outside.”

Warnings: Most of the heavier subjects covered within Burn the Dark are actually pretty commonsense, and thus the sort of thing you can easily expect. There are hints towards animal death (incidental and implied), abuse, burning, and other things along those lines.

Burn the Dark was a fun and interesting read. Whoever came up with the idea to compare it to Stranger Things was pretty spot on. Though it did feel like the leading characters were slightly older – but that kind of works, given their backstories.
Robin’s whole backstory and character arc was actually pretty fascinating. And I’m not ashamed to admit that hers was by far my favorite of the perspectives, though I enjoyed reading about everybody else, of course. Hers felt the most human, as well as being the epicenter of the plot.
This was a fast-paced read, with something happening at almost any point. It helps that the characters kept splitting off and getting themselves into more danger. Well, it helps the reader. The characters not so much.
I feel like this series is a darker twist on the urban fantasy trend, and I’ve got to say, I’m all for it. I loved the tone and feel of this novel, and would love nothing more than to see a whole lot more like it. Well, not exactly like it – you get what I’m trying to say here. The blend of horror and fantasy was very well done.
This is the first novel I’ve read by S.A. Hunt, but I enjoyed it. I think I’ll probably try to set aside some time to follow the rest of this series (as it gets translated – I have to look into that). I’m curious to see how far they push this.

For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks ...more

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Mar 30, 2020 Alina rated it it was amazing

This was such a great YA read. I truly enjoyed the unique originality to it. Loved the premise and characters. I haven't read a decent YA book in years and this tops the list of best YA book thar I have read so far this year. ...more

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Nov 24, 2019 Lu rated it really liked it

Shelves: in-english, earc, fantasy

I thank Netgalley and the publisher for this book, received in exchange of an honest review.

Robin Martine is not the usual girl. She's an orphan, she can use swords and knives, she runs a Youtube channel, she travels around America recording her adventure in...witch killing. Robin is a witch hunter and the witches are not like Sabrina Spellman or any kind witches seen on television. They are cruel, they are known to siphon life to them through spells and sacrifices and they are immortal. They ki I thank Netgalley and the publisher for this book, received in exchange of an honest review.

Robin Martine is not the usual girl. She's an orphan, she can use swords and knives, she runs a Youtube channel, she travels around America recording her adventure in...witch killing. Robin is a witch hunter and the witches are not like Sabrina Spellman or any kind witches seen on television. They are cruel, they are known to siphon life to them through spells and sacrifices and they are immortal. They killed Robin's mother, Annie, blaming her violent father.
After being instituzionalized, because Robin spoke the truth about the witches and doctors made her believe she was crazy, filling her with medications and shock therapies, she's rescued by a family friend, Heinrich. He reveals her the truth about witches and starts training her. Haunted by a green eyed monster, for years, Robin fights against supposed hallucinations and spells, while trying to do her job.
The story is built with flashbacks and memories and starts when Robin comes back to Blackfield, in her old city. For Robin, coming back home means reconnecting with Joel, his old best friend and to know Kenway,with whom Robin right away get along, dragging both of her friends in her caotic and dangerous life and revenge. Her path crossed Wayne's and his father, who they just moved in her old house. While she's keen on getting her revenge on the Coven that killed her mother, Robin starts to understand she may have been underestimated the situation.

I really liked this book. Robin is a great main character, funny, determined, stubborn and keen on discovering the truth about her family, her mother, the creature that haunts her. She wants to kill the coven that murdered her mother, the dangerous Lazenbury. Joel is a fantastic and ironic best friend and I love her relationship with him and how she found someone in him and Kenway to rely on. Kenway is another amazing character. He's a veteran, he went through hell and back and, like Robin, he's full of memories and scars.
I loved how Robin's plot crossed with Wayne's, the new kid. I like Wayne, a lot. The author did a fantastic job writing his character. Wayne lost his mother to cancer, his father went through a bad moment, drinking and, deciding to move from Chicago to a little city meant for him changing his whole life, school and friends, while still grieving for his mother. He's a strong character, friendly, smart and I liked reading about he having new friends. He was forced to grow up faster when his father started to drink.
I found really sweet his habit to put her mother's wedding ring near his eye and see through it. I love how important that ring became in the book., too.
Leon, his father, a teacher, found himself involved in witches, monsters and spell, involving witch hunting, magic rings and creature from other dimensions. I liked reading about Robin's mentor and savior, too, Heinrich, even though he's less present in the book and I hope to read more about him in the sequel, because he seemed an interesting character.

The book is captivating, full of twists and revelations and it kept me hooked until the end. It was amazing reading the multiple POVs, Robin's, Joel's, Wayne's, Marylin's and see through the "villains' " eyes too. I liked reading about witches, their powers and dryads, goddesses and so on. I'm really happy to have read this book and I can't wait to know more about Robin's story. ...more

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About S.A. Hunt

S.A. Hunt

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Samara Abigail Hunt is the Georgia-born author of the Amazon Top 10 Horror Malus Domestica series, and the Outlaw King fantasy series, winner of Reddit.com's /r/Fantasy "Independent Novel of the Year" 2014 Stabby Award. She is also a "Mentor of Poetry, Prose, & Performance" with the National Creative Society.

In 2005 she joined the Army and after an ill-advised stint in the military police (ACAB), ...more