Thank you to NetGalley for providing this eARC to me, all opinions are my own.

I loosely follow CAWPILE created by Book Roast (https://www.youtube.com/c/BookRoast/videos) to organize my reviews.

Erin A. Craig became an instant favorite author after I completed her other novel, House of Salt and Sorrows. There were so many components I absolutely loved, I instantly put her on my radar and kept an eye out for future books.

Small Favors follows Ellerie Downing who lives in Amity Falls with her family. When strange things begin to happen around town, the townspeople begin to turn on each other.
Most of the characters were pretty likable. Ellerie is the oldest and cares for her younger siblings. As bizarre occurrences begin in the town, she focuses on trying to keep them safe. Her twin brother, Sam, isn’t necessarily “likable”, but has a bit of mystery surrounding him. As well as her love interest, who doesn’t even provide a name, but she begins to call Whitaker.
This story is very atmospheric and set in a village surrounded by woods. It is a week-long trip to get to the nearest city and for the village to collect provisions. There is also a section of the forest called “The Bells” because the founders of the town placed bells in the trees to deter mystifying creatures from entering the village.
I enjoy Craig’s writing style altogether. She always has a hint of horror and mystery in her books that set up the scenes for the reveal and conclusion. This always provides a sense of intrigue for me as the reader and I usually can’t put the book down because I NEED TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
I gave Small Favors four out of five stars because I enjoyed the overall story, the characters, the intrigue, and the horror aspects of the book. I felt the ending was missing *something*, but it appears I’m in the minority. I still definitely recommend picking up this book and anything else Erin A. Craig writes because she’s amazing!

Erin Craig has created a very unique story that is engaging and haunting. The main character, Ellerie Downing, is resourceful and brave while keeping her younger sisters save in a town that is slowly going mad. Evil forces are bringing out the bad in people of Amity Falls. Monsters lurk in the woods surrounding the town and it is hard to know who to trust. A good read that keeps you guessing. Thank you for the author, publisher and NetGalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an eARC of this second novel from Erin, whose prose I fell in love with after also receiving an ARC of her debut book-- House of Salt and Sorrows. Let me just say right up front that if you enjoyed that retelling, you will LOVE Small Favors. Erin has a penchant for taking fairy tales and unraveling them, taking the bones hidden inside and building a whole new beast out of them; not unlike the twisted creatures encroaching upon Amity Falls. I would not have even known this was a Rumpelstiltskin re-imagining until the climax of the novel if I hadn't seen hype for it on Twitter. THAT'S how effective and unique this author is. She has crafted a stunning world all her own in this work.

We are introduced to Ellerie Downing and her family. They live in a small, rule-driven town surrounded by forests and completely cut off from civilization. The Downings' role in this town revolves around their bees-- her father is an apiarist, and her mother creates treats and other crafts with the wax and the honey. They are closely tied (for better or for worse) to the other families in the town, and adhere to the restrictions set by the Elders of the settlement. However, things start to fall to pieces quite quickly-- the author wastes no time bringing in the conflict while still showcasing the characters and their personalities. A supply run is laid to waste by strange animals with deformities, hunters come across impossible game that they can't explain, and all the people in Amity Falls start to feel mistrust towards their fellow man as things go missing, are destroyed, or are revealed.

After a horrific accident, Ellerie is left in charge of her two sisters. Even with the crippling weight of seeing her family through the hardest winter she's ever seen-- Ellerie starts to fall for a mysterious trapper who opens her eyes to the luck (both good and bad) surrounding her. As things escalate in the town, Ellerie has to summon all of her strength and ingenuity to figure out what supernatural forces are at work before all of Amity Falls goes up in flames. It is a thrilling roller coaster ride, and has so much to offer. It's a story about family, love, and aplomb. In addition, it is a STUNNING dark fantasy-- guaranteed to make your hair stand on end and look for silvery eyes staring back at you from the forest, and the absolute body horror will bring the utter devastation and unheard of malformations in your nightmares; Erin is a master of description, bringing stags with too many horns and colts with exposed spines to life in haunting detail.

Honestly, I am already foaming at the mouth for Erin to release another novel in this vein. It hits so many particular story-telling kinks for me, and in a time where it's been a struggle to make myself relax enough to enjoy reading-- this book was something I always looked forward to at the end of the day. It really and truly transported me to the tainted atmosphere of Amity Falls, and it was hard for me to put it down. These books (including House of Salt and Sorrows) fill a specific niche in the YA community that I consider sorely missing-- because though there are an infinite amount of retellings, (art is either plagiarism or revolution) most are not as imaginative and intrepid as I find these. I want so much more YA horror, and I hope we are lucky enough to get more of it from Erin.

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Erin A Craig returns with her small-town horror Small Favors. Readers follow Ellerie Downing, eldest daughter of one of the founding families in Amity Falls. Amity Falls is a small village where neighbors must support one another. The village typically gets two supply runs from the city a year, but when one of the supply runs fails it is the start of all manner of misfortunes for the village.

Craig has a talent for creating an atmosphere of dread. Not necessarily spooky or creepy, but just generally that something-bad-is-about-to-happen vibe. There is also a constant introduction of gradually more questions, the answers to which only spawn more questions. There are questions of possible supernatural issues, possible betrayal, and lots of who is this person really. Combine with a sense of being trapped by the seasons and building tensions in the village. Craig was really very successful in creating a big build up for the climax of the novel.

My biggest complaint, and really only complaint, is that everything was resolved so quickly and cleanly. Once the objective of how to fix things was discovered, it was carried out and new goals for moving forward were made with potential for a happily ever after. Happily ever after with need for extensive therapy maybe, but still. It was simply too easy, too quick, too tidy for all the tension and build-up.

I have enjoyed both of Craig's works so far, and have no issues recommending them. I eagerly look forward to her future works as well.

Small Favors is a beautifully written tale about the human condition, reminiscent of the fairytales of the past. When I say fairytales I don’t mean Disney. No Small Favors is actually a loose retelling of Rumpelstiltskin and more aligned with the blood soaked versions from the Brothers Grimm.

Set in a quaint Valley, the pioneer town of Amnity Falls is concluding their end of summer preparations and getting ready for another winter. The story follows Ellerie Downing, the towns beekeepers oldest daughter, as she tries to keep those she loves safe when chaos descends on their town, and the monsters of legend haunt the pines beyond the towns borders. The world is beautifully crafted, drawing you into this idyllic town and family.

Ellerie is an 18 year old girl trying to find her place in the world now that she is no longer a child, but an adult ready to move on to the next phase of her life. Ellerie is so well written and relatable. The fears and insecurities she has when she perceives her best friend and her twin are leaving her behind while they race off into the next phase of their lives together without her feels so authentic. The hopelessness and inadequacy she feels when she finds herself thrown into a role she isn’t prepared for and doesn’t think she can bear is easy to empathize with. Through it all she remains kind and courageous. Risking herself for just the glimmer of a chance that it would save not only her family but the town she loves.

As with all good fairytales Small Favors is riddled with commentary on humanities virtues and flaws alike. Throughout the book you see how a few well placed favors, a lie here, a seemingly meaningless token there could topple a community turning friend to foe and neighbor to executioner. All it takes is desperation and pressure and all civility and even humanity seems to get stripped from the townspeople. Through it all Ellerie looks to her families bees for strength and inspiration.

Small favors is one of those books that leaves you changed when you flip that last page. The true horrors that lie within its pages don’t belong to the monsters in the woods but in the hearts of those they watch. But even with all the ugliness that is humanity love and hope can survive.

I was given a review copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an eARC of Small Favors in return for my honest review...and here it is.

4.5/5
This book was so utterly different than any other YA book I have read. The entire time I was reading it, I was trying to fully understand what was going on, but Craig's writing kept me beautifully in the shade, making me wonder if <i>I</i> was the one going crazy. Every single time I thought I had figured something out or predicted the ending, everything changed and I was very very wrong.

The writing is incredibly captivating, spinning a tale that reminded me of The Village.
The characters are each deep and I was always trying to find out everyone's true intentions.
The Plot was stellar. Like I am actually considering rereading it right now.

The only issue I found was that the ending was just so abrupt. I kept flipping the pages looking for an epilogue or <i>something</i> to give me just a little bit <i>more</i>. I might come back and make it a full 5/5 stars after I've had more time to cool down, but I can't help that I loved this world so much that I wanted more.

Now i'm off to read Erin A. Craig's other book, [book:House of Salt and Sorrows|39679076] because if it is anywhere near as good as Small Favors, I'm already in love.

Thank you to the publishers, author, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!

Small town rivalries reach a boiling point in Erin Craig's spooky sophomore novel. Amity Falls, the perfectly named remote valley town, finds itself unraveling when neighbors begin to turn on one another as threats from the forest pin them in and a lack of supplies rots them from the inside out. Our guide through the madness comes in the form of Ellerie Downing, the eldest daughter of the local beekeeper who is trying to find her place in the town (before the ill-fated supply run).
I was not expecting this to be a loose retelling of Rumplestiltskin, but Craig's eerie prose was undoubtedly a skilled one spun from something better than straw.

This was a mixed bag for me. I had high hopes going in (though I hate 'The Village'), and about halfway through, it had hooked me completely. I read it in one day. However, in the end I didn't think the plot came together well (everything was explained a bit too neatly/in a way that didn't really make sense), and I really disliked the love interest plot. (I'd've hoped that YA as a whole would have moved away from this toxic relationship trope by now, but I guess not.) Also, when the synopsis compares this to Stephen King's 'Needful Things,' take that seriously. It is VERY similar to that novel, to a fault by the end. It was kind-of amazing (and over-the-top perversely hilarious) to see that done in a YA book, but I do wish there had been some variation with that plot.

Small Favors is the next book I so desperately wanted to read from Erin Craig. House of Salt and Sorrows is such a spectacular book and I just knew that whatever Craig came up with next would be at the top of my MUST READ list.

Craig leans into her forte of using older stories or myths to craft a new tale of darkness. Small Favors takes place in an unknown time, in an unknown place, and this absolutely works for the story. WIth mood and tone immediately set, the pacing then pulls the reader through mystery and love without a whole lot of time to catch a breath. Much like her first book , readers should expect to carve out some time to binge read these pages; it demands to be read and will not let go easily.

I found the characters believable and quickly fell in love with Ellerie and others. There are a few places where I wish I knew more and others where I was a bit confused or saw what was coming, but I was so wrapped up in story and this world that I really didn't care. And I think a lot of readers will feel the same way. I find myself anxiously ready for her NEXT book; it can't come soon enough.

After finishing this book I needed some time to marinate in the story line and to sort out my feelings. I have come to the conclusion that this is a really good, spooky story that is based more in the tension and physical pull then relying of scary aspects; and I really think that makes this a much more enjoyable read.

The story has a slower telling to it, it creates tension, pull, angst in the reader. This has the reader in a certain state that helps the mystery of the story feel more potent. I loved the characters and their vulnerable aspects as well as the unique town/setting the story takes place. There is so much just under the surface in this story that a re-read might be in order to full appreciate it.

I liked the plot and the ending and I think that this is one of those stories that is going to be for readers who have a appreciation for writing as a craft and storytelling as a form of art, more so then those readers just looking for a fun ride. I very much enjoyed this and hope others do as well. I received an ARC via Netgalley and Random House Publishers and I am leaving my honest review. 4.5 stars.

In Amity Fall, there’s something terribly wrong. I enjoyed every minute of the town’s crawl toward doom. The characters were all memorable, and Ellerie and Whitaker’s was the perfect salve to all the terrible things happening. The ending is open-ended but enjoyable. Pick this up if you’re into mayhem and character’s questioning their sanity.

There is no other way to describe the writing in this book besides beautiful! This book was so unique and gorgeously done, and I loved the mystery element that I wasn't quite expecting. I would recommend this book to my friends who are YA lovers and atmospheric readers.

I couldn’t get this authors first book out of my mind and I love bees so I had to read this book. It took a bit longer for me to get into it, somewhere between chapters 8-14 I was hooked.
I love that she chooses the more obscure fairytales to retell and I enjoyed her take on this. I loved all the information of the bees and the feeling that it was me looking at and talking to them.
I loved the characters and I hope the finished book has a map! There is a little bit that I would have liked to have more tied up at the end but overall it was fantastic and I was 100% immersed in the story and could see it in my mind.
I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

I loved Craig's previous book House of Salt and Sorrows, and was incredibly excited when I was approved for Small Favors. As in the previous book, the atmosphere in this book is phenomenal.

The book was a bit too slow in the beginning for me, and I was unsure if I would end up loving it or even sticking with it, when I started reading. However, I loved HoSaS so much that I wanted to give this one a fair shot. I'm so happy I did. About halfway through the book really picked up and I loved the second half.

The characters were so engaging, and I simply adored some of them while really despising others, which speaks to the author's talent. I did feel the book ended a bit abruptly, and I would have liked to see perhaps the beginning be a little shorter and the end be more fleshed out. However, overall I greatly enjoyed this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Delacorte Press for an early opportunity to devour Small Favors. I loved Erin Craig's first book so this one was HIGHLY anticipated.

TL;DR upfront for the BUY IT NOW crowd: you should preorder Small Favors if you're a Little House on the Prairie aesthetic enthusiast or if you're a beekeeper who likes to sleep with the lights on.

If you need a little more convincing...

Ellerie Downing's village is falling into ruin of biblical proportions: fire, retribution, and mutated animals, oh my! And our sweet little never-been-kissed bee keeper is faced with protecting and caring for her family as their neighbors become more paranoid and violent through the toughest seasons of the year.

First off, Erin Craig is a master of atmosphere and horrific imagery. Unlike HOSAS, Small Favors is just like its cover--bright with a sense of dread. Someone I was telling about the book compared the vibe to midsommar and I was like, "YES, that." Basically, the sun is shining and warm and someone is braiding flowers in your hair but it's a woman with sharp black teeth who is humming a folksong about a monster that drags children to the bottom of the lake. This is not a spoiler for the book it's just how it FEELS.

This book started out a bit slower than HOSAS--things started happening immediately but I didn't have a full grasp on the story until about 25% in--then it got really, really tense. I mention this because I've seen a couple reviews talking about the pacing and I want to assure you it does speed up and then it feels like the hits don't stop coming. Craig was RUTHLESS with some of these plot points and characters. No one is safe.

Finally, I really enjoyed the romance in this one. Whitaker is such an interesting character and the progression of their romance leads to a pretty satisfying end when {redacted]. If you want to know, go read the book. ;) I don't want to spoil anything since the book isn't out yet, but I'll say that I liked this romance more than the one in HOSAS.

Bottom line, I'd recommend this book to friends who like atmospheric horror that leans more fantastical than paranormal, who like their heroines unconventionally "strong" and resilient, and who have bedside lamps so they can read this late into the night even though those are the wrong hours to be doing so. Or are they the exact right hours?

<b>3 stars</b>

This is a book I was really excited for. I loved Craig’s debut, A House of Salt and Sorrows and when I went into this book I was looking forward to it. I’m honestly not sure what went wrong for me to be honest. I was into it in the beginning, and I think that it was an intriguing idea. But something…somewhere it fell off for me and about midway I was starting to struggle through it. So you can imagine I am so disappointed I didn’t like it more than I did. But this will definitely be a book for some people. To be clear it was a good book, it just wasn’t what I was expecting and parts of it didn’t work for me.
First off, I think people who like Stephen King or lite horror will love this book. It certainly was atmospheric. Another book that has similar vibes is Strange Grace by Tessa Gratton. They both have this eerie feeling that builds as the book goes on. Small village, cut off from the rest of the world, something lurking beyond the borders…those are the main parts of this novel. Like I said, it is atmospheric and moody which were major points. Craig is really great at doing things with atmosphere.
The major issue I had I think was the pacing. The pacing felt off to me. It’s supposed to build and unfortunately, I think it built a little too slowly for my tastes. I felt instead of building it dragged a bit by the middle. Some parts felt a little too repetitive. It get what the aim of it was, but it still didn’t totally work for me. And that I think was the main crux – the pacing didn’t work for me which made the later parts of the novel not as interesting.
I also didn’t love the romance aspect of this book. I felt that it was a bit strange addition, especially the further we get into the book. I also felt the characters didn’t hold up as well as they could have. I don’t mind that Ellerie didn’t figure out what was going on, but I did have issues because it felt like once something happened nothing happens for several more chapters.
What I did like about the characters is you’re suspicious of everyone. You have no clue who is who or who is bad or who is good and I really liked that aspect of this book. It was well done because it kept you guessing all the way until the end of the book. I certainly didn’t see the twist coming at the end, and I was surprised.
The other thing is this book feels like it’s supposed to be a fantasy world, but it also feels like it is supposed to be set in our world, which is a little confusing for me to be honest.
Craig is a great writer, and the writing is good, and enjoyable to read. I don’t feel like I was struggling with the writing at all. It was clear and concise and helped as I said build up such a creepy atmosphere. I could see this as a good story for the summer or the fall. It is definitely mystery/thriller/creepy/horror lite.
Overall, I think it is a good book and will hit the spot for some readers and miss the mark for others depending on what you like. For me, it just didn’t go far enough and then in some ways it was too slow. Apparently, this was supposed to be a partial fairytale retelling, but I didn’t get that in this book. I wouldn’t say it was a retelling. My final comment is I think I enjoyed it, but not as much as her debut book.

After having read Erin's first book and loving it, I was so excited to receive an eARC of SMALL FAVORS! And it certainly did not disappoint. This book was described to me as having The Village vibes, and that totally fit! It was deliciously creepy and dark without being grotesque or too horror-y. And the way that you slowly feel the villagers going mad was so expertly done! Erin A. Craig is 100% an auto-buy author for me, and I will always recommend her books to everyone I meet!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and Random House Children's for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions stated are entirely my own. I was very excited to read Small Favors because I have heard good things about the author's first book and the plot looked pretty interesting. The book was about Ellerie Downing and strange events going on with the community in her small town. The book includes magic, mystery, and romance. I really enjoyed the book but it did seem a bit long and slow at times. I think it would be a good read for anyone who likes YA fantasy books with a hint of mystery as well.

I definitely enjoyed Small Favors more than House of Salt and Sorrows. I found that to be very repetitive. I loved the setting of Small Favors and the slightly creepy vibe. Thank you to Netgalley for this arc ebook!

I liked House of Salt and Sorrows better than Small Favors. I was enraptured with the story until the 45% mark when I realized nothing was really happening. This book is very long and much of it was fillers that could have been deleted. The story seemed to follow the pattern of something happens, filler for a few chapters, something different happens, more filler, something else happens, etc.

The romance was awkward and could have been left out or at least written differently. During Whitaker's second interaction with Ellerie (the first and second totaling maybe 5 minutes), he flirts and puts the moves on her which set off red flags. Ellerie basked in his attention despite knowing he was evasive and never told her the truth about anything. They both somehow fall in love over a course of months with meager interactions.

I would have enjoyed this more if it hadn't been as lengthy. Plus, I guessed the twists from the beginning so I had to endure Ellerie's thought process for hundreds of pages until she connected the dots. Overall, this was still a good read that reminded me of M. Night Shyamalan's The Village.