Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark & Quinn Connor for a digital galley of The Pecan Children in exchange for an honest review.

I am from Arkansas, so I knew I needed to read this one. I don't get many opportunities to read books set in Arkansas! I can also relate very much to the deep roots & pecan harvests.

Lil & Sasha Clearwater are determined to save their families land, but a dark magic lurks under the surface of the pecan orchard & the sisters might want to consider saving themselves instead of the orchard.

This story was wholly original & had a great southern gothic atmosphere. The beginning was a bit slow, but it definitely picked up. Even in the slow parts, I was still entranced. The writing style of these authors was fantastic & so many elements of this story made it a winner, but there were also a few things that just didn't mesh together very well, which kept me from rating it just a bit higher.

Overall, it was a good book that had the potential to be great & just feel a teeny bit short.

There are so many things happening in a town that got me interested. But even at 50%, it felt like the plot was dragging and the setting was getting out of hand. Maybe it’s not my cup of tea or maybe focus on one thing first before getting everyone on the scene because it confused me a lot of times that I had to re-read it. There wasn’t much of a character development. This is an okay book for me. But thank you Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this one in exchange for an honest review.

The Pecan Children leads you through a haunting experience of small town life, exposing all the mystery and fear that comes with growing up trapped in a tiny speck of civilization while the wider world grows up around you. With poetic language, Quinn Connor etches into your soul every pang of fear and happy thrill of wondering if you should burrow down into the familiar warmth of nostalgia or fight tooth and nail to change who you are. The prose is incredibly unique, making your heart ache in a hundred unexpected ways.
The characters wrap around each other like the unending fields of kudzu that blanket their home, emotions and pasts intertwined in a soft mess of adoration, hurt, sacrifice and guilt. Even if you don’t prefer love stories, you’ll savor watching these people try to figure out how to love each other in every possible way—romantic, platonic, familial.
Soaked in folklore that sets itself ablaze by the end, The Pecan Children makes you feel like you’re ready to call the ending only to pile on its well-earned twists during its fast paced second and third acts.
This story is tailored for readers who love the uncanny reality of southern gothic stories while still being allowed to hold on to shimmery hope for a happy ending. I absolutely loved getting lost in it.

3.5 stars...first off thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for granting me the privilege of reading this eARC. It was a slow start kind of book for me, but then by the 30-40% mark, it starts picking up a bit. This book had a good range of characters, and it had cozy small-town vibes with a tinge of mystery/wtf is going on? There's a bit of romance and a bit of magic. Some deep seeded familial roots and a time-loop. If any of that interests you definitely check out this book when it comes out.

I loved the blurb and thought this was going to be a novel I could love. There's a lot of potential but the first part is very slow and I struggled.
The second part is well done and entertaining.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The book is coming of age and it is infused with magical realism and mystery of the small town. The vibe of the book is atmospheric. The characters are interesting. And the town people have a history with Sasha and Lil. This is a kind of book where a lot of unexpected things happens but it’s driven by emotions. The authors perfectly captures the complexity of each character. The story is slow build and the more you will dive into it, the more it will grip you.

After the death of Sasha’s and Lil mother. Sasha moves to New York and Lil look after the family orchard. The unexpected happens in the town and people are forced to move out of it. They sell their lands but the Sasha and Lil refuse to do that. Sasha has returned from New York. While the annual pecan festival brings people together. Sasha meets Autumn and Jason, Lil’s ex comes as well. The southern pecan town is not how it was used to be. There is a rot and ghostly fire has consumed the town while the mystery of pecan tree leaves the sisters no choice but to revisit the past and confront it.

Many Thanks to the Authors, Publisher and Netgalley.

Once you begin to read this one, you won’t be able to put it down!

An adult fairytale that is magical and dark and a powerful connection to the land.
Trying to save their pecan orchard after most of their neighbors have sold out to a really oily salesman! There is definitely something not right about that fellow!

Lil will never leave the land they have lived on forever. The orchard holds a secret that her mother shared with only her. It is her job to take care of the trees. When sister Shasa comes home, Lil isn’t overjoyed, but Sasha has her own concerns and secrets.

Mysterious, magical and just a great read!

Netgalley/ Sourcebooks Landmark/ June 04, 2024

What a strange book! I really didn't know what I was getting into when I requested it...I finished it since I never give up on books. There really is nothing left to say, nothing I want to add to review. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Soft and dreamy, but the story was just taking so long to go anywhere and I wasn't very invested in the characters or their relationships. I can see how this would perfectly hit the spot for the right reader, but alas, that is not I!

Me, from 0-50% of the way through: “this is cool, very Tom Lake, nice orchard vibes” relaxing with a glass of wine…

52% SPITS WINE EVERYWHERE

53-100% CANT GET ENOUGH. Literally this book. Okay so love the characters, love the plot, LOVE THE TWIST. what a compelling, fascinating read that will grip you and not let go.

Four stars- parts of the plot I really wished were more developed and I can’t really delve into it without spoiling anything, but the ending could have been 2% better with a little more depth.

I demolished this read and can’t wait to read the debut by Quinn Connor!

Thank you Netgalley & Sourcebooks Landmark Publishing for an eARC ♥️

Ah, this book is a true treasure! It's a beautifully woven tale of magic, family, and tradition that will capture your heart and imagination. The story of Lil and Sasha, two sisters trying to find their place in the world, is tenderly told and full of depth.

Quinn Connor’s writing is like a warm embrace - it envelops you in a sense of comfort and wonder. The way they weave together folklore and family history is nothing short of enchanting. And the characters? Oh, they're so lovingly crafted! You'll want to wrap your arms around them and cheer them on as they navigate the challenges of their small town and the mysterious forces that surround them.

What I love most about this book is the way it celebrates the power of sisterhood and the resilience of the human spirit. It's a testament to the idea that our connections to each other and the land are what truly make us strong.

This story absolutely warmed my heart ♥️

This book is so sharp and brilliant. This may be in my top list of the year! A southern gothic read that haunts a disapearing past. All the suspense and quirky energy is in this book!

The story's uniqueness did not disappoint. The concept of pecan children was like nothing I'd encountered before. The imaginative plot intrigued me.

However, I found I had a mixed experience reading this book. While I admired the book's imaginative leaps and bounds, I struggled to fully immerse myself in the narrative. At times, the pacing felt sluggish, and I found myself trudging through paragraphs, yearning for a quicker tempo to keep me engaged. Yet, amidst the frustration, there was a strange allure to the book's weirdness. Its refusal to conform to convention was both refreshing and oddly charming.

While the unpredictability of the storyline kept me engaged, I was left with lingering questions about the pecan children themselves. The loose ending, while open to interpretation, felt unsatisfying, leaving me wanting more closure.

While the story dares to be different and embraces its oddities, its pacing issues and unresolved mysteries prevent it from truly capturing my heart. Yet, for those willing to embrace the journey, it offers a glimpse into a world where the line between reality and imagination blurs, despite its flaws.

This book was outside of my normal reading habits. It's billed as Magical Realism, which I guess it was, but it definitely straddles the line between Magical Realism and straight-up Horror. It's not exceptionally bloody or anything like that, but even the peaceful chapters are kinda underwritten with a certain 'wrongness' that just kind of seeps through the surface-level story.

That story revolves around Lil and Sasha, twins who live on one of the last family-owned pecan farms in their town. Gradually, families have been selling their farms to corporations and moving away and their town has definitely seen better days. When Sasha's long-lost best friend/crush, Autumn, and Lil's ex-flame, Jason, reemerge, the twins start to experience things that aren't easily explained. These experiences build and leave the reader wondering what's going on. Then it's explained.

I was interested in this book all the way through. The subtle creepiness at the beginning and my genuine curiosity about where this was going at the end got me through this book pretty quickly. It reminded me of Mexican Gothic in some ways, although it was totally its own book. I would definitely recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

The Pecan Children starts off as an atmospheric look into two sisters, Lil and Sasha, and their last stand at their family-owned pecan farm. As a buyer edges in and threatens them, strange and ominous things begin happening and the sisters will have to decide whether fighting or fleeing is the right choice.

I began this book enjoying it and finding myself intrigued by the fractured relationship between the two sisters and the way the human threat (the buyer) was combined with the supernatural threat. There’s also some great food descriptions so that definitely didn’t hurt, and the way Connor brought this town was great. I didn’t mind the romances either that were set up for the two sisters…until I did.

The supernatural aspects and relationship between Lil and Sasha are so interesting yet the romance gets the most time. I couldn’t root for either of these couples because their dynamics were so bland. We spend time with Lil and her love interest in particular to a grating degree and the dialogue was hard to get through because there’s no sense of chemistry between them. They are childhood friends but they didn’t feel like people that had spent years together.

I enjoyed Sasha and her love interest a bit more but then we get a sudden POV from her love interest about 60% of the way through that threw me for a loop. I don’t mind sudden POVs but this one didn’t reveal anything especially interesting about the character and her dynamic with Sasha at all so I question why it was there. By this point, I was having a hard time getting through the book but did want to know more about the unnatural things going on.

Then the twist happened. Then another twist happened. I hated them both. They felt tacked on and shoved into the story for drama although I could see them being done well if there was more set up. They don’t feel earned and resolving them was too easy so it wasn’t satisfying to read. On top of this, I had zero investment in any of the characters at this point so I didn’t care what happened to them.

Overall, The Pecan Children had a promising start but as I read more, the lower my rating dropped. In particular, I’m disappointed in the way Sasha and Lil’s relationship never evolves throughout the book. There is so much time spent on the sisters and their respective love interests whom they have little to no chemistry with that I felt frustrated because I wanted to know more about Lil and Sasha and see their relationship either heal or completely break. The supernatural element is great in theory and were my favorite bits but ultimately felt poorly executed.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This review will be published on my blog (clearsummers.wordpress.com) and Goodreads on May 21, 2024.

Gorgeous stunning horror realism with gorgeous world building and a hefty plant and soil motifs thanks for the arf

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This, on paper, is an absolute winner of a book for me. In theory, this should have been a five star, one that ended up on my favourites shelf - and aspects of it do belong there. The horror elements and the eventual climax are well worth the wait, but the build up was not quite what I had hoped for.

As other reviewers have mentioned, the first half of the book feels like it just takes too long to get where it's going to. There is so much that could be alluded to or explored in the early part of this book, but it doesn't quite get there.

I did enjoy the small town vibe and the feeling of being choked out by the place that you love most - and that feeling is one that is so familiar to me that it can hurt. I thought that was beautifully explored within this novel, and so it wins points on that.

The characters are reasonably well fleshed out - they take on the impact of their surroundings well and respond to what's happening around and to them really well. There could have been a little bit more of their pasts included, but this didn't quite filter in as much. I do think though that this book has wonderful smatterings of magical realism, and the horror was good, but it didn't quite hit the note as well as I would have liked in places.

I really enjoyed the magical realism of this butt. It uses the allegory of decay in small town. America perfectly and shows the horror that can happen The characters were what I was looking for in this type of book and I enjoyed the bond of the two sisters. Quinn Connor has a great way of telling a story and showing the allegory between the pages. I was never bored during reading this, and look forward to reading this.

Sapphic
Mysterious
Coming of age
Fantasy
Adult Fiction


After the death of her mother, Lil Clearwater has to look after the family pecan orchard on her own until her twin, Sasha, returns home after living in New York.

Their home town is slowly dilapidating as families are forced to sell their land and move away, but the twins refuse to sell their mother’s land.

The annual pecan festival brings home all their old friends including Jason, Lil’s ex and Autumn, the best friend and object of Sasha’s affection.

Nothing in town is as it seems. Phantom fires, children born from pecan trees and someone known as the hungry man are but a few things wrong with the town.

This book was weird but good, the same way that Twin Peaks was weird but good. At times you don’t know what’s going on but you keep going. In the end everything comes together but leaves you with so many questions.
The book was extremely creepy and I highly recommend to it others who enjoy reading weird and wonderful stories.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.
A huge thank you to Netgalley for this copy

The Pecan Children is the hauntingly beautiful story of the Clearwater sisters, set in a Southern town famous for it's bountiful pecan trees. Lil, the primary caretaker for the family's orchard, has dutifully harvested the pecans season after season since the death of her mother. Sasha, recently returned to town after years living in New York, is trying to find her place in town without stepping on her sister's toes in their orchard. I loved both Lil and Sasha, and the secondary characters that shaped their everyday life.
Laced with hauntingly beautiful magic, this absolutely engrossing Sothern gothic tale is one of my favorite reads in a long time. I was a huge fan of Quinn Connor's debut novel, Cicadas Sing Of Summer Graves, so I was so excited to be able to get an early copy of The Pecan Children, and I felt like it absolutely lived up to my expectations. I look forward to reading whatever these authors put out in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of The Pecan Children in exchange for my honest review.