Cover Image: Eventide

Eventide

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Member Reviews

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to read this early. Review has been posted on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

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When their father descends into madness after the death of their mother, Verity Pruitt and her little sister Lilah find themselves on an orphan train to rural Arkansas.

In Wheeler, eleven-year-old Lilah is quickly adopted, but seventeen-year-old Verity is not. Desperate to stay close to her sister, Verity indentures herself as a farmhand. But even charming farm boy Abel Atchley can’t completely distract her from the sense that something is not quite right in this little town. Strange local superstitions abound, especially about the eerie old well at the center of the forest. The woods are play tricks, unleashing heavy fog and bone-chilling cold…and sometimes visions of things that aren’t there.

But for Verity, perhaps most unsettling of all is the revelation that her own parents have a scandalous history in this very town. And as she tries to unearth the past, sinister secrets come with it—secrets that someone will go to violent lengths to protect….

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Such a great concept and even better execution! This book was a well rounded YA thriller that I'll be recommending to people who like this genre.

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I really liked this one a lot! This is one of those stories that sucks you in from the very first page, and sometimes you just need a book to pull you in. I'm so glad that this book was there for me when I needed that. I loved that this book wove together magic and mystery, although I do feel like magic was used to answer too many questions towards the end of the book. This can be a pet peeve for me, but it didn't inhibit my overall enjoyment. I thought this was a really unique and fun book!

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This was a kind of gothic Appalachian kind of tale. It had dark overtones that were supported by dark themes. A decent read.

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Set in a small town of the early 1900’s Arkansas, this story was a perfect start to my fall season with all its paranormal activities and splashes of magic. This young adult historical fiction/mystery novel kept me up late at night reading, and I could not get enough of its atmospheric setting and all the amazing characters. I even dare to say that I got some Anne of Green Gables vibe at the beginning of this book, before all the spookiness started. The mystery of this book was slowly and skillfully unwrapped by the author, and I was mesmerized by the story's plot and setting.

Eventide is a wonderful debut novel and I can’t wait to read more books by this author. If you love books that blend multiple genres together and create a perfect blend of mystery and paranormal themes then this is a perfect read for you.

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First let me say that I enjoyed Eventide by Sarah Goodman. it is an atmospheric young adult fantasy with thriller aspects. It begins by placing readers right in the thick of things. The book is set in Wheeler, Arkansas. A small town with dark secrets and a haunting forest.

Verity and her sister have been sent to Wheeler following the death of their mother and the mental breakdown of their father. Verity soon discovers that something isn't right in the woods that surround Wheeler. As she attempts to figure out the strange things she's encountered she uncovers some dark truths about her family as well.

I enjoyed the creepy atmosphere, paranormal aspects, hints of magic and the sisterly bond in this historical fiction.

Thank you Netgalley and Tor Teen for my digital arc of the book to review.

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This was just okay, it wasn't earth shattering, the story was fine, there was nothing wrong with it, but it was just eh for me. Not something I'll remember for long after reading.

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Verity Pruitt and her younger sister Lilah have lost so much. Their mother has passed away and their father is so consumed by grief that he is no longer able to take care of them. He also starts to have visions, so he is whisked away to an asylum. Since Verity and Lilah are under 18 and don’t have any relatives who can take them in, they are sent on an orphan train to Wheeler, Arkansas.

Once they arrive, they discover that Lilah has been adopted, but Verity is out of luck. Or so she thinks. She manages to convince a couple with a nearby farm to let her help them until she is old enough to take care of Lilah.

Verity quickly senses that something is off about her new town. Nobody wants to go near the forest. There is a well at the center of it, and she keeps seeing a little girl near it. She also begins to have visions that have her questioning her own sanity. As she begins to investigate, Verity learns that her family has ties to Wheeler.

Goodman successfully crafted a spooky atmosphere that isn’t too harrowing for those who might be reluctant to pick something like this up. The mystery seemed straightforward at first, but some details genuinely surprised me.

I wanted to like the characters, but I couldn’t connect with any of them. There was also a random love triangle thrown in that barely served any purpose. I also felt like the ending was rushed and that everything felt a little too convenient.

I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to read something dark and atmospheric, but not too spooky. The book has a slow, but intensifying pace. Despite the ending feeling rushed, the epilogue wrapped up the story quite nicely.

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A beautiful, tragic piece of historical fiction. When young Verity and Lilah lose their mother to death and then their father to madness, they’re packed up and send on an orphan train to Arkansas. Younger Lilah is adopted, Verity is not. She does find a home and work nearby so she can stay in contact with her sister. But then she finds out that her family has a history in the town. And the more she discovers about that history, the more in danger they both become.

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I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for giving me the opportunity to review this book. I admit in my joy at joining NetGalley I may have been overzealous in my requesting numbers. As this book has already been published, I am choosing to work on the current upcoming publish date books in my que. As I complete those I will work on my backlogged request and will provide a review at that time. I again send my sincere thanks and apologies.

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A thrilling and haunting look at how heartbreak can hurt others.

This is a wonderful read. I asked for an advanced copy of this book initially due to the inclusion of the Orphan Train, which I have included in my own work programming. The story from the moment Verity and Lilah stepped off the train hooked me and kept me in a well (sorry) of curiosity. One of my favorite novels read this year, if not decade.

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I absolutely loved how spooky EVENTIDE was--the setting was flawless and it was the perfect example of good, strong historical thrillers. The setting was totally immersive and unique, and I felt that Goodman clearly researched the time and made it come alive for her readers. The mystery at the heart of the book was absolutely creepy, and it was enhanced by the author's playing on lore, myth, and mental illness.

I really liked the main character, but it was the supporting characters that drove this one home for me. Verity's protectiveness of her sister was a high point, but I loved her adoptive family more than anything.

While I thoroughly enjoyed EVENTIDE for about 75% of the book, the last 25% was rushed, a bit campy, and a tad too predictable for my taste. I think Goodman is a terrific writer and I would 100% read one of her books again, but I think she'd be better suited to a duology where she can really delve into the conclusion and flesh it out more.

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I was very interested in this book based on the synopsis. Unfortunately, for me, the world building and characters fell flat and did not keep my interest. DNF at 78% after several attempts to give it a fair shot for an honest review. I will not be sharing my thoughts/opinions on this title outside of NetGalley.

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Eventide
Author: Sarah Goodman
Genre: YA Historical Fantasy
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ / 5
Reviewed: Maya

[Trigger Warning: death of a baby, death of a parent, mental illness, murder, sex-shaming,]

I went into this book not really knowing much about what it was and having zero expectations, so I was very pleasantly surprised. The writing style is so good, making the story very easy to read and creating the mysterious, page-turning atmosphere. The storyline was well-developed and it was clear that Goodman put a lot of planning into her novel. The blending of the genres was done so seamlessly, and reminded me of my love for historical fiction. The characters, especially Verity, were created so well and I was shocked to learn this book was a debut! The relationship between Verity and her younger sister, Lilah, was so powerful and I really enjoyed Verity’s journey of finding both her original family and discovering that blood does not determine family either. At some points, their sibling relationship seemed a bit too strong (i.e. unrealistic), but it did not affect the novel for me. My only complaint is that the book didn’t last long enough - I just needed a bit more at the beginning and ending, which would have made it 4.5 or even 5 star read. I would recommend this, especially if you want a thrilling mystery set back in the day.

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4.5 ⭐

This was a really fun, historical horror read. I loved the feel of the story, reminisant of the movie "the ring" but in a totally different setting and with it's own twists. I highly enjoyed the characters. Verity is an amazing MC and I loved not only watching her grow into her own, but also her sense of adventure, her need to find out what was going on/what happened and her love story. The side characters were just as good. I loved that the romance was there, but it wasn't fully the main focus of the book. I loved the family secrets and the mystery. This is a book that will stay with me and I would enjoy reading again in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

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**3.5-stars**

In 1907, Verity Pruitt and her little sister, Lilah, arrive in Wheeler, Arkansas, aboard an orphan train. The girl's mother has passed away and their father, apparently suffering from overwhelming grief, has been committed to an asylum. With no family to take them in, the girls become wards of the state, in spite of the fact that Verity is close to turning eighteen.

When they arrive in Arkansas, it is clear that a family is already waiting for Lilah, but poor Verity will not be going with them. She does still luck out though, as an amazing family is willing to take her in and they live only a couple of miles from Lilah's new home. Of course, Verity's position is more as a farmhand initially, than an adopted child. She's okay with that though, a little hard work never hurt anybody.

As Verity settles in at her new home, enjoying her work on the farm and her new friendships, she discovers that something lurks in the woods surrounding the town. It's unsettling the things she sees as she accidentally ventures into the woods one night. As she works to uncover the truth behind the strange things she has seen and experienced, Verity begins to uncover some truths about her own family instead.

Goodman definitely succeeded at bringing a fun, creepy atmosphere to this historical fiction tale. I really enjoyed the setting and the cast of characters. Some of the plot was a bit too simple for my tastes, as well as slightly campy towards the end, but it was still a quick, enjoyable read!

I definitely recommend this to readers who like the idea of a creepy read, but they don't actually want to be scared.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Tor Teen, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. As a debut, this is impressive. I look forward to reading more from Sarah Goodman. I hope she stays in this lane. It works for her!

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I truly love an atmospheric thriller. I just love them. So much.

This is the story of two newly orphaned girls, Verity who is 17, and her sister Lilah who is 11. After their mother passed, their father started to lose his grasp on reality. This ends up with him in an institution and both girls on an orphan train to Arkansas. Once they arrived Lilah was picked out by a wealthy family and Verity decides to do anything in her power to stay near her sister. She meets a wonderful couple who decide to hire her on as a farmhand. While there Verity starts to realize that her family might have connections to the area.

This story takes place in the early 1900s and the way it is written you can feel that. The location itself, the history of the location, and the forest, and all the superstitions that are surrounding the area is perfect for this story. The build-up from the beginning, where you're dealing with Verity and her loss of family, all the way up to the end where she is starting to put together pieces of her family's connection to the area is fabulously done.

I enjoyed every single second of this read. From the beginning to the end, the atmosphere, the buildup, the suspense, the anxiety of this read was so well done. Part of the time you are trying to piece together what is true and what is not. The whole time you are doubting where you thought things were going. It is just so wonderfully put together.

If this the way Goodman is going to continue to write stories, I am here for it. It was such a moody read. The way family is interwoven with this story from blood family to found family, I really enjoyed.

There were some points in this story where some of the characters, because of how the story came together, didn't feel fully flushed out. They didn't have that opportunity. And there was a romance that sort of built up and quickly used as a plot device. The love triangle in this one felt extremely forced. I get why it was done because it did add to some of the anxiety of the story and the control of the story. It is just those two pieces were what made me question if it had to go that far.

But as a whole, I enjoyed this story. It is a great thriller. I loved seeing it all come together and it is one of those reads that I just could not put down. I kept finding excuses to read more and more and here we are now.

So do I recommend this read? Yes, I do. Do I want to see more from this author? Yes, I do.

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A good debut!

I would like to thank Sarah Goodman, Macmillan-Tor/Forge, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

SPOILERS

This book was pretty good! It was paced and structured well, and while I didn’t particularly like Verity, she was a strong, independent character whom I certainly cared about and wanted things to work out for. I think what I mostly disliked about her was that apparently every time someone told her to stay out of the woods, she decided it was opposite day. That’s classic TSTL (too stupid to live) protagonist behavior. Other than that, though, she was a decent protag.

I loved that Hetty and Big Tom turned out to be sweeties, and Abel was an okay love interest. I’m not sure I liked Lilah much, but I’m not sure I disliked her, either; it’s hard to know how I felt about her when she was being manipulated up, down, and sideways.

I was tempted to kneel before Della, who never seemed to experience a negative emotion. No, that’s inaccurate; who never let her negative emotions poison her attitude. She was jealous of Verity and Abel, for instance, but she decided she valued their friendship too much to be bitter and angry, so she was happy for them instead. She also seemed fully aware that her dad was a jackass, yet she didn’t seem to hold it against him.

I had mixed emotions regarding Matthew. On the one hand, he had a good heart and wanted nothing but to help those he loved, but he was stymied at every turn. On the other, this entire book—their entire lives—could have been very different if he’d just found a way to speak with Mary after being lambasted by her father, instead of just running off to New York. He’d loved Mary soooooo much, yet turned tail the moment the going got tough? I wish he’d had more of a chance to redeem himself and get his head right; his fate was far from satisfying.

Miss Maeve was a pretty great villain. No—actually, she was excellent. I had major sympathy for her at the same time I hated and feared her. She was entirely a victim of people who were supposed to love her yet hurt her again and again by making decisions for her. Like Verity, I’m not sure I can blame her for going mad and becoming vindictive after she discovered she couldn’t die, that even that choice had been stolen from her. It’s no wonder she became somewhat power hungry. In the end, though, her demise was pretty satisfying, both because she had been defeated and because she had also been released from the cursed life she’d been leading. Yes, she was a very skillfully written antagonist. Probably the strongest element of the book.

I’m not sure how much purpose Jasper and—crap, what’s her name…the bitch who wanted to leave Wheeler so bad…his sister, at any rate—I’m not sure how much purpose they served, they seemed rather superfluous. Jasper more than his sister. Also, what point was there to Abel’s pregnant sister? That thread went no where and did nothing except perhaps demonstrate that Verity might have been a great doctor one day. The little girl ghost also didn’t seem to serve much purpose; I don’t remember her name, either. She helped guide Verity and Matthew to the well in the end, but other than that, her only other job was to be spooky and mysterious. I love me some spooky and mysterious, but not without purpose. Reminds me of a couple of the ghosts in Simone St. James’s Sun Down Motel. If any of the above had purpose that I was ignorant to, apologies and disregard.

Speaking of, Goodman did an okay job injecting the atmosphere with spooky and mysterious. It wasn’t keep-the-lights-on creepy, but she described some unnerving imagery, and I really felt Miss Maeve’s unhinged malice in the second half.

The magic-ish elements, such as the charms and the hollow? Meh. Not super fascinating, but they added some mystical to the spooky and mysterious, which isn’t a bad combination. A lot of it was rather cliche, though—the forbidden wood, the fog, a well (what the hell is it about wells?), a place of concentrated energy, even very loosely basing it all on Irish lore. The trapping charm was somewhat unique, though, at least to me, as was the concept that the charm combined with the well’s magic “sustained” Miss Maeve.

I think I understood the explanations for everything… Well, no, I still have questions. Why did Lizzie put a trapping spell on Mary? Why had she been so afraid of Mary going beyond a 15-mile radius? The reason was probably there and I missed it, because it would be really odd to not explain that—to not explain the one pivotal factor that turned Mary’s tragedy into a plot. Also, didn’t Matthew say something about evil taking two of his children and coming after the other two? Was that him being legit crazy, or again, did I miss something? Was the banker dude somehow responsible for the deaths of Elizabeth and the baby boy? Okay, so sorting fact from fiction is a bit tough, and some of the explanations are weak, but the biggest questions were answered.

Overall, this was a solid piece of work and a decent ghost story. Goodman could perhaps work on giving her leads a touch more charisma, strengthening the whys and hows, and making sure everything and everyone in the story serves a purpose within the plot.

Oh, and how beautiful is that cover art? Love it!

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I loved this spooky YA historical fiction mixed with all the elements of a paranormal mystery type vibe that is set in Arkansas in the early 1900’s.

Though, as much as I enjoyed it, I didn’t much care for the supporting characters.

3/5 stars.

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