This book is superbly written and decadently dark. The author has a way with words that each scene is set in enough detail to escalate the creep factor of this novel. If you like your books atmospheric, different and unforgettable. Read this one. Think small town gothic, taxidermy, decaying flesh falling off bones, and the feel that you get at the back of your neck when something staring at you from the dark and you pretty much have the skeleton of Wake the Bones. Thank you Netgalley and St Martins Press for the ARC.

This was an interesting read -very different and well written, though parts were too drawn out and superfluous. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced ARC. It was a difficult book to walk away from, but in a good way. I like the mixture of horror, friendship, and romance. While the major four characters were well drawn out, I was a bit confused by just bits and pieces of back story on Christine and Jay. Christine, especially, deserved more back story. The background of the book set in the backwoods of Kentucky was well presented and you could almost smell the scents described on the farm. This is not a tale for the weak as several sensitive topics are discussed ranging from abuse to gay relationships. For a debut novel, I thought it was well done.

I loved this! Wake the Bones is beyond creepy. A perfect southern gothic horror if Ive ever read one.
Taking place on a Tabacco Farm in Kentucky which sports its own family graveyard (up the spook factor right there) Laurell has lived there her whole life, walked the land until she knows every inch as well as she knows herself. She walks the trails finding animal bones that she make jewelry and other things out of to sell.

When some really weird stuff begin happening, like a mysterious pool of fresh blood leading to a long dead deer, or a monster made of all different animal bones clacking together, and of course Laurell has begun dreaming of her dead mother.. Turns out that something is living on her land, something that has been around for a very long time but only recently woken back up. Its up to Laurell and her friends Issac, Garrett and Ricky to stop this devil from first taking everything she loves, then coming back for her, for her bones.

Every moment of this story, even the slower ones, were building this amazingly well put together world full of horror and the fantastical. Full of magic and curses, and the normal people that don't believe in such things. Friendships that will stand the test of time... as long as everyone survives whats coming, and what you will do for your family even if that means letting them go. This story pulled me in and wouldn't let me go until I reached the very last page and kept me guessing on how all the characters I had fallen in love with were going come out in the end. I will definitely going to be getting myself a physical copy of this book, and I can't wait to see what else this author is going to come out with!

This book has been labeled as YA and it definitely feels more adult. I would call it a southern gothic horror. For my personal preference, I couldn’t handle the graphic descriptions of animal abuse/death. However, there are trigger warnings to that which I appreciated. The imagery in this very much made me feel hot, sticky, and uncomfortable. It was like I was back in Kentucky again during the unbearably humid summers. In this situation it was more of it’s me not the book. I love gothic novels but this just had too many horror aspects for my taste.

Ok, so looks like I gotta add Elizabeth Kilcoyne to my "Automatic Buy" list because HOLY can this author write.

WAKE THE BONES is a dream and a nightmare, and I felt every second of it. Dry Valley is painted so, SO evocatively, from its wildlife to its people, a whirlwind of sighs and smells and colors, beautiful and ugly, and I saw it whenever I closed my eyes. Kilcoyne effortlessly captures the Southern Gothic paradox of a world that feels too gigantic to comprehend ... whilst simultaneously being claustrophobically small.

And that's what WAKE THE BONES is: a claustrophobic, gigantic punch of a novel.

Admittedly, the plot itself felt a little thin in places. It follows Laurel, a 19yo college dropout, as she returns to her Kentucky farm and discovers a devil haunting her footsteps. And not just any devil: the very same creature responsible for her mother's untimely death. The details of the magic involved were a little nebulous, a little hard to catch ahold of ... but I found I didn't care. Some books are "plot" books. Some books are "feeling" books. And for me, this one fell hard in the latter category.

There's so much to love here. I was STOKED to see a group of YA protagonists in the 19-23 range, because WAKE THE BONES provided a perfect backdrop for exploring how impossible that age can feel; when high school is over and the future is huge-yet-dimming. The romance subplots also felt wonderfully real, and I adored all of the main characters: Laurel, Isaac, Garrett, Ricky, and Christine. Even Uncle Jay gets a hug from me! But of course, this is a horror tale: which means plenty of gore and bone and monsters that literally want to devour you & everything you hold dear. It is not for the squeamish: be warned.

So if you're in the mood for a heady, lyrical, rot-soaked summer read, WAKE THE BONES might be the book for you. It's slow-paced and occasionally underdeveloped, but the writing and the *mood* were, imho, more than enough to compensate. 4.5 rounded up.

Wake the Bones is a unique mix of fantasy and horror. The story is super atmospheric, and the author’s use of imagery and sensory language is so well done. It pulls you into the story and creates vivid and immersive pictures. You can almost feel the air on your skin and the weight of the heat of a Kentucky summer. The setting, a desolate farmland that was once prosperous but is no longer, is a great backdrop to this creepy, suspenseful horror story, and the author’s lyrical style enhances the eerie vibes throughout the book.

There are some strong themes related to friendship, self-acceptance, and finding your place in the world. The characters are complex and dynamic, and they face realistic issues in the midst of a fantastical story of monsters, magic, hauntings, and more. I like that the author explores situations that young adults face, like dropping out of college, living up to parental expectations, finding oneself, friendship, and more.

I also like that the story is told from multiple points of view. Each character has a strong and distinct voice, and you really get to understand the thoughts, feelings, and goals of each. In addition to dealing with the evil that has resurfaced, these characters deal with issues of loving in a small community where everyone knows everyone else, which some love and some loathe. I found it interesting that there were so many relatable issues, including two romances, in the midst of this terrible and scary haunting.

Laurel is a young woman who has dropped out of college and returned home to work on her grandfather’s tobacco farm and resume her taxidermy hobby when she learns she is the key to defeating the evil that her mother kept at bay for years. Her character is interesting, though I enjoyed Christine’s chapters more. Garrett, Ricky, and Isaac are also unique characters and good friends with Laurel. Though they are friends, they all have secrets, and it’s interesting to see these secrets explored, revealed, and faced.

This story is a bit out of my comfort zone, and some parts were a little too much for me. Be sure to check the content warnings before reading the book, as there are many aspects that could be triggers for readers, including blood, gore, death, mentions of suicide, and so much more.

Though I loved the themes, setting, and atmospheric writing, I didn’t connect with the characters or story as much as I’d hoped. They didn’t feel as layered and fleshed out as some of the other aspects of the story, though I did like the LGBT representation. I also found the pacing a bit disjointed. It was so slow at the beginning and didn’t really pick up for me until more than halfway through the book. The magic system was fascinating, but I sometimes felt confused by it. That being said, I do think this book will appeal to readers who enjoy Southern Gothic literature that’s super creepy and atmospheric. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and the author for providing a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars!!! This literally captivated me from the first couple of pages!! Weird and creepy fantasy horror set in Appalachia???? What a perfect combo. Think House of Hollow meets Small Favors meets Summer Sons.

The descriptions were top notch, you could feel the humidity and hear the insects and smell the rot underfoot as clear as if you were really there. This is very much a summer book and it captures the feel perfectly.

I can’t lie — the fact that this is set in Kentucky relatively close to where I live was a major factor in my love for this. A lot of the time when people write southern or country accents it is waaaay overdone but the dialect in here was subtle yet conveys itself perfectly. Lots of “I reckon” and “I’m liable” that hit the nail on the head without being too heavy handed and making the characters sound unintelligent- which is frequently how it goes.

The fantasy and horror aspects worked really well for me, centering around nature magic. I will say the final fight/encounter/climax was a little unclear in terms of all of the pieces going on, and I don’t believe that was the intent. It felt like game pieces were moving without us seeing and we were left to try and figure out where we were and what had happened to get us to that point. But, as a debut, this was so strong and I think this writer is only going to get better and better. The relationships were well done and I had no complaints on that front!

ARC copy provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I loved the background of this story and especially that it took place in Kentucky. The storyline was a bit scattered and I didn't understand a lot of what was going on. It had potential, but just wasn't a great read for me. Left too much unexplained or scattered.

While this book has a very interesting premise the execution is disappointing. I was left far too confused throughout the story and even the ending. But I also don't consume horror books that much, so it may just be a personal issue instead of a contextual issue.

This frickin book wow so let me just say check the trigger warnings. I will admit even with the warnings I still had a few parts in the book where I was like hmmm. I enjoyed the story and the main character this book follows Laurel on her family farm and takes you down a twisted path of home sometimes being something more sinister. I did preorder this book I loved the ending and the cover is gorgeous

I really enjoyed the atmosphere of this book. If I had to pick one thing that was my favorite aspect of this writing, it was that. In the creepiest of moments, the descriptions were amazing. Even in some not-so-creepy moments, the way Kilcoyne describes the earth and shadows and bones and all of these things made a perfect atmosphere. I also loved the general setting. I think the South was a perfect place for this book, and the theme of farming and therefor the theme of soil, ground, and earth, added a new level to everything. There was a lot to think about!

I enjoyed Laurel, and I enjoyed Christine. In fact I'd love reading a whole book about Christine. But otherwise it was kind of hard for me to care about characters beyond a surface level. They were all fleshed out, but for some reason did not click with me. The pacing was the hardest part of this book for me, especially in the first 50%, which contributed to finding it hard to connect with some characters. While I enjoy having character dynamics and journeys intertwined with an overlying plot, many scenes of character arcs felt almost like an interruption to the plot. A scene that stands out to me is the scene where Laurel and Isaac head to a bar and run into Garrett. Isaac and Garrett's dynamic and struggles were very interesting, but this scene felt to me like it was from another book entirely. There were also moments later on that felt like going from very slow to sudden intense action, that left me rereading some parts to comprehend.

Other than the pacing and some tonality not quite working for me, I enjoyed this read! The creepy moments were perfectly unsettling. I had a fun time learning about what is going on to Laurel and this town, and found there to be a good amount of symbolism to unpack which I always love. And I will definitely keep an eye on this author's future projects, because this was really promising to me!

The perfect blend of southern gothic mixed with fantasy and horror. So haunting and eerie, it left me guessing for a while. I've never read a book quite like this and found it super unique and compelling!

This wasn’t what I was expecting based on the YA tag, but it was definitely a pleasant surprise to get something less soft than YA tends to be. Wake the Bones skirts several genres; I liked it best when it was inching into horror territory, which fit so well with the rural Kentucky atmosphere. The sense of place was excellent, and made up for some of the book’s shortcomings in characterization and magical continuity. The most impressive accomplishment was the juxtaposition of the evocative mundanity and groundedness of the setting/characters with the sudden incursion of deadly and visceral supernatural problems. It’s an effect I don’t often find in fantasy, especially YA fantasy, where magic tends to feel more like it gently suffuses the world and is meant to be there. In Wake the Bones<, it feels more like an intrusion. This sense of sudden wrongness, coupled with the visceral violence of some of the supernatural episodes, was well-executed and left me wondering what a full-on adult supernatural horror novel by Kilcoyne might be like.

Wake the Bones is due to be released in the US on July 12, 2022.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the NetGalley ARC.

What a wicked little read! This was one of the most unique stories I've read in awhile. I really loved the rawness and the eeriness and the wrongness of this book. It certainly made me cringe and was really weird. Overall I really enjoyed the book but the only thing that took away from it for me was the characters. I really didn't love any of them and found myself having a hard time connecting with them.

Wow! This story may have had themes from several other books, but it was put together in an original way. Very enjoyable storyline and writing style. I would have rather seen the devil be any other mythical creature, but that really didn't hurt my enjoyment of Wake the Bones.

I also enjoyed having two gay men among the main characters. Even in the middle of nowhere, Ohio, there needs to be representation. It flowed really well in Wake the Bones, and it never felt like the characters were made gay simply to check a mark on a list.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased thoughts.

I think a lot of the reviews that have been posted before mine have gotten a lot right about this novel. It's marketed at YA, but definitely on the older end of the YA spectrum -- more like New Adult, if we're still using that label?

I grew up in western Kentucky, on the other end of the state, but it's really just geography that separates pieces of my own story from this one. Go off to college in the "big city," end up on academic probation, and come back home to a home that doesn't really fit anymore but is the only option that's left? Yeah, I know how that feels and I think Kilcoyne did an excellent job of capturing these four characters as they wrestle with choices that will impact the rest of their lives while juggling everything from the past that can't just be set aside.

The writing is lovely, atmospheric, and lush -- but don't struggle too much to read things literally because then you'll start getting hung up in the words. Rather, this is a writing style that you just have to let pile up for an overall impression, rather than reading closely.

As for the horror, I wasn't SCARED while reading this, but there is definitely a sense of unease and discomfort. I think the weakest part of this novel is how Laurel's magic connects to everything else. It almost feels like everything in this novel is a prelude to what comes next, and we never get to that next part.

Links:

https://onereadingnurse.com/2022/01/14/wake-the-bones-arc-review-by-eilizabeth-kilcoyne/

https://www.instagram.com/p/CYumr5Jr7wq/

Honestly I liked this one quite a bit but struggled with it’s age group appropriateness, so it was hard for me. I would push Wake the Bones on the 18-25 age group and keep it off the YA imprint.

With walking bones, rising evil, death, abuse, and a terribly disillusioned drowned ghost among other eldritch things, this is definitely one to have on board for spooky season. It’s much more lyrical than a typical horror novel though and encompasses magical realism and literary fiction too.
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Ok here are my quick thoughts on the age thing: it’s marketed as YA (13-18) but I really truly strongly feel it should target an 18-20something age group. The characters are 18+, one was in college and dropped out, and all were struggling with loyalty to home, their future, and generational bonds vs their own fate. Is their home down on the holler or where does fate lead them? Many of the conflicts and issues were not ones that 13-17 yr olds are going to face, although some will, plus the language includes at least one f*co per chapter, s*x scene at the penultimate moment AGAIN (please, YA authors, stop doing this – we assume a second couple shacked up that night too) … I just have a hard time with this on the YA imprint.

That said: let’s talk about this contemporary fantasy / horror / literary fiction

It takes place mostly on Kentucky farmland, where Laurel’s family tobacco farm has sat for generations. The atmosphere it set from the start with a hunt for bones and trip to the graveyard, where we learn that Laurel has a penchant for death. From there, things slowly start getting spookier and spookier. It never gets to the splattering stage but there are dead animals, blood trails, dreams of the dead, her mother’s drowned ghost, lots of blood, someone is hanged, and the devil is downright creepy .. among other things.

The spooky parts are interspersed with a number of important themes to the New Adult (18- ?) age group, like generational chains. Laurel’s family has been rooted on Kentucky for generations, and she tried leaving, failed, and came home to the farm and friends that needs her. Another character is abused by his father, and wants to leave, but also struggles with loyalty to his friends and the area. One doesn’t want to leave at all and is happy as is, and, the fourth has no idea what he wants.

So we see these scary parts mixed with chapters about love and mixed feelings. Two male characters (Isaac and Garrett) have feelings for each other and that is a constant storyline, plus Laurel and Ricky feel fated towards each other but recognize fear and obligation as obstacles.

All this taking place in a muggy, hot summer, in the middle of a pretty severe haunting. Each character, even a fifth that is brought in as a guide to Laurel, has different parental and generational issues that has shaped their experience growing up in this small town.

Can they all be friends like they were before, what needs to change, what will their futures hold? Will they even be alive to find out?

Coming home and self acceptance are huge themes. I loved how the magic worked, as Laurel’s mother was tied to the land and so is she. Land based magic is my favorite but I’ve never seen it in a contemporary fantasy before so that was interesting

I wish I could share quotes … I normally am not a fan of purple prose but Kilcoyne manages to write about death, life, and survival in such a way that I had SO many quote tabs on the pages.

OH, yeah, survival is a HUGE theme too. Everyone has to survive their upbringing, life situation, and all the self destruction of those around them while taking hold of their own futures.

The real question is … Does everyone survive? Heh heh I actually did like what the author did at the end, but no spoilers

For me, 🌟🌟🌟🌟, but I’m 33 and would hold this one til my kid was at least 17. I will not rate it for YA

Wake the Bones is a perfect blend of the romantic and the haunted, it perfectly pairs chilling atmosphere with idyllic prose. This is one I couldn't put down!!

This book had me on the edge of my seat!! I loved the characters, the plot, and the twists and turns the story had to offer us. Totally Buying this book!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book will have you at the edge of your seat wanting to read more. The atmosphere and lush prose of writing will have you wanting this book to never end. I devoured this book in one sitting, a must read for those who love gothic horror.