This was a great take on a "back from the dead" story. The pain was felt so strongly from each family member, and this story truly showed how each person reacts differently to loss. What resonated with me the most was how blinding love can be when it comes to family and those you love. For a YA novel, this went a little deep between the morals, the questions of who the "real you" is, and the complicated relationships of each family member. Not everything is always tied up in a bow, and this heartfelt story really makes you think. All of this with the added horror element made for a great read, and I absolutely recommend this to any thriller/horror reader who likes to really have to think about it afterward. Four solid stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire, for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this supernatural horror element to this book, it had that scary element that I wanted and enjoyed the supernatural element in this story. It uses the toxic relationship perfectly and thought it worked with the genre. I enjoyed the way Amelinda Bérubé wrote this and that the horror elements was perfectly done.

Words cannot begin to describe how the ones who come back hungry made me feel. This book shows so much of the inside darkness of trauma and how everyone who is effected is just searching for that lifejacket to keep then a float. Done in a stunning way of making that darkness of grief come to life or in this case back to life shows the inner turmoil of fighting to keep the one you lost alive while fighting to keep yourself from falling apart in the process. Its a push and shove that causes questions and rash decisions and words that lead to the final stages of acceptance and allowing yourself to start the process to heal and grow and move on with your life without that loved one. Overall this was a captivating story and really speaks volumes on grief and what it can do to a person and the battle it takes to get to a point of healing.

What would you do if a loved one suddenly came back from the dead? What would you do if the only way to keep them from rotting into nothingness was to feed them your blood? Would you do it? Would you sacrifice yourself to keep them "alive"? These are all questions that Jo must ask herself when her perfect sister Audrey is suddenly back from the dead. Through this daring novel, Jo must figure out who she is, who her sister is, the good and the bad, and how much she is willing to go for "family." Is she willing to sacrifice everything?

Amelinda Berube's novel was breathtaking in all the best chilling ways. It is a perfect horror novel for young and old adults alike. Not only does it keep you wondering what will happen next, but also why it is happening at all. But it is also thought-provoking: What would you do in Jo's place? I read the novel within 24 hours because I had to find out what happened next. While so many questions were answered throughout the story, I was left with a lingering feeling of why! Why did it happen? What caused it to happen, and while not knowing is killing me, it also makes me love the book even more. Well done Amelinda, well done. I highly recommend this novel to YA and adult readers who love it when things go bump in the night.

Disclaimer: While I received a free advanced reader copy of this novel, my thoughts and opinions are my own.

Reminiscent of LET THE RIGHT ONE IN, THE ONES WHO COME BACK HUNGRY is a compelling, grief-filled YA that I had to force myself to not read in one sitting. It is the darkest versions of the revenant/zombie/vampire myths, set with a compelling investigation of mental health and how much of yourself you'll sacrifice for the sake of a loved one. It's discovering who you really are, messy and fraught family dynamics and the confusing investigation of first love and ulterior motives. This book is a fast read that people will struggle to put down. Compelling with queer rep.

After the sudden death of her perfect older sister, Jo feels bad for the brief moment she wished her sister away. Just days after the burial, Jo stumbles on the impossible: Audrey, standing barefoot in the backyard. But Audrey isn't the same; she's something else. Something hungry.

I really enjoyed this horror/thriller. The atmosphere was creepy and our main characters were very realistic in how they dealt with grief. Jo was an imperfect character, just a teenager who tried so hard to help her family and keep things together when she was falling apart. Audrey was the golden girl who resented feeling like she had to stay in that role. The parents were interesting and I wish we had gotten a little more from them: the present but somehow distant father and the "weak" mother who played favorites with her daughters, with devastating results.

I was really interested in what was happening with Audrey; was she a zombie? Was she a vampire? How did this happen? I'd love to see this as a movie. It wasn't wrapped up too perfectly, and I think it works here. Overall this is a very solid YA horror and I highly recommend it.

One thing I'd like to see change is the cover. I don't think it portrays the spirit of the story, it's too bland.

3.5⭐️

This book was definitely an interesting take on vampires. The author did a great job setting the creepy atmosphere. The book was more thought provoking, than it was gory. Well, except for the end, that did get a bit gory.

The family dynamics were interesting. How the relationship between Jo and her sister, Audrey played out! How the mom appeared to play favorite when it came to her daughters! How the dad seemed to be checked out about the whole thing! The ending was predictable, but still satisfying.

My only real issue was how slow the middle third felt. It started to feel a bit repetitive.

Overall, an engaging and atmospheric YA thriller with an interesting take on vampires and family dynamics!

This book gives a different view of vampires. They aren’t pretty or sparkly.

When Jo’s sister returns from the dead, she is happy but does not know what she is in for.

Book:
THE ONES WHO COME BACK HUNGRY by Amelinda Bérubé
Thank you Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for the Arc...Out July 2nd

Review:
3.5⭐
THE ONES WHO COME BACK HUNGRY was a thrilling adventure. From Jo losing her sister, to Audrey coming back from the dead etc, Amelinda Bérubé captures something different, something supernatural.  I went into this book with high expectations after reading the description. I was expecting creepiness, horror, and all out goriness. I felt like some of those points were reached in the way that seemed to be described, but there were spots that fell short. There were times where it moved slow, and was drawn out, but it did pick up in the end. Also this book wasn't creepy or horrorifyingly scary...it does take a lot to scare me so there's that, but some may think otherwise. THE ONES WHO COME BACK HUNGRY focuses on the supernatural. With the vampire-y part needing blood to live, it's kind of gross, which is to be expected.
THE ONES WHO COME BACK HUNGRY reminded me of something that would play on the SYFY network, so if you like supernaturally-science fiction books with gorey elements, then this book is for you.

What I Liked About It:
*the supernatural aspect

Bérubé does it again with another YA horror novel that surrounds sisters. Her other book, Here There Are Monsters is one of my favorite YA books of all time, and this one is just as good. The Ones Who Come Back Hungry has a cold, aching undertone pushed forward with the winter season the & has beautiful prose mixed in with outright horror. This book is for you if you like:

1. A deep POV main character unraveling a mystery while doing research about monster folklore.

2. Complicated relationships between sisters. Just imagine the Taylor Swift song “You Belong With Me“ but Cheerleader and Bleachers are sisters and the cheerleader has come back from the dead.

3. Revenants. Zombies. Vampires. Supernatural. Jo is very much working out what her sister has come back as and what works against them—just like a Sam & Dean case.

4. Exploring family dynamics/feeling like you’re not the favorite kid. Especially when you’re the artsy kid.

5. Bisexual MC rep.

6. The ebbs and flows of grief.

Really enjoyed this book, there were a few slow points inbetween however the ending really made up for it all. Such a great story teller and a very unique and different story to tell!

This book is an exemplary example of the fact that sometimes the scariest things are not the supernatural.

I feel like my brain was just removed from my skull, twisted like a dishrag, then shoved back into my head. It's just the right amount of dark and bloody, with a twist of guilt and familial trauma. It's a slow seep of blood, but wow is the slow burn worth it in the end.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"The Ones Who Come Back Hungry" by Amelinda Bérubé is a very unique thriller/horror YA book that provides a unique perspective on vampires while also exploring themes of loss and the complexities of sibling relationships. In this book, you won’t see any “Twilight” vampires. No, these are the undead that will rip you apart, and Bérubé’s descriptions throughout the book are absolutely amazing at establishing a sense of dread with these horrific, rotting vampires. I couldn’t get enough of the vivid imagery throughout. In this book, Bérubé explores both a unique take on the standard vampire but also emotional vampires, as in people in your life who drain you of your own energy, who use you for their own gain. I absolutely loved this exploration in the book as the main character, Jo, learns to become more independent from both toxic family and friend dynamics in her life.

Following the sudden death of her popular older sister, Jo finds herself grappling with grief and emptiness. However, her world is turned upside down when she discovers Audrey, her deceased sister, mysteriously returning from the grave with an insatiable hunger for human blood. Determined to keep her family together, Jo embarks on a desperate quest to find a cure for Audrey's condition, even as she struggles to navigate her own conflicted feelings and desires.

Bérubé's writing shines in this atmospheric and haunting story, drawing you into Jo's world and her desperate efforts to save her sister. The characters, particularly Jo, are richly developed and nuanced, with their struggles and motivations explored with depth and sensitivity. Sam, for example, has many flaws that are developed throughout the book, though he does have some redeeming moments towards the end. Jo's complex relationship with Audrey and her internal conflict between loyalty to her family and her own desires drive the story forward; their relationship is the central point of the story as Jo learns more about the expectations that weighed Audrey down and the complexities of her own life. I also liked the depiction of Jo’s mother, showing how grief develops in different ways while also showing how similar the two characters are.

The book also blends supernatural elements with themes of love and sacrifice, creating a thought-provoking story that lingers long after the final page. There is queer representation within this book with Jo and her best friend. The romance in this book was nice and subtle, not taking over the plot at all. The pacing is excellent with suspenseful twists and turns, especially when focusing on the vampire aspects in the book. I do wish the vampire aspect was developed a bit more, like with what caused Aubrey to transform, but overall, I really enjoyed the descriptions of the vampirism within the book. Aubrey’s transformation reminded me a bit of “Pet Sematary” with creatures coming back from the dead not completely the same.

Overall, "The Ones Who Come Back Hungry" is a very engaging story that will appeal to fans of horror and supernatural fiction, and stories of family dynamics. I definitely enjoyed this book, and I can’t wait to read more from Bérubé.