Rating: 4/5 subterranean caves that make you hallucinate

Format: e-book. I’d like to thank the author and FierceReads for sending me an e-arc of this book to review!

To sum up:
A group of thrill-seekers meet up at a remote, hidden cave to investigate a legend about a secret that lays beyond. It is said that for those that dare to brave the cave and what lies inside, one may find their greatest desire in THE SUBLIME. This story is told in alternating past and present tense, during the time in the cave and after.

What I enjoyed:
I have been on a thriller kick lately and this one really hit the spot. The setting is SO creepy, and overall it has a lot of things I love to see in a thriller: hallucinations, complex female friendships, unreliable narrators, and multiple timelines! I didn't know who to trust, and the tension/action was perfectly paced. The sensory details are so vivid, it's impossible not to get creeped out as you read this. With mixed in flashbacks and revelations, the mystery unravels slowly and in a satisfying way.

What was meh:
The only critique I have is that some of the revelations felt a little on the cliche side.

Overall, I thought this was a very entertaining read!

This was a fun read! When you have four girls lost in a cave, four girls that each have their own motives and secrets, limited supplies and complete darkness you know you're in for quite an interesting adventure! It was suspenseful and creepy. And there were moments you could feel the dread pouring off the page. The characters were good. I did find it a little predictable and I wasn't really sure what to think about the supernatural aspect but overall it was still a great read! Thank you TBR and Beyond Tours and Kate Boorman for sharing this book with me!

Into the Sublime takes a group of thrill seekers, a twist of backwoods witchy lore and a worst case scenario into the deep depths of a cave system.

The Sublime is said to be a lake that changes things for the person seeking it. What it changes and what the seeker hopes it'll change are technically two different things. Most don't come back from searching and some believe it's due to a one-eyed witch that drags girls to their doom. Amelie and her four associates (can't call these ladies friends) put the lore, their survival skills and fears to the test.

I loved this. The atmosphere was every part the kind of skin crawly I like in my creepy novels. There's a good bit of young adult drama that I wasn't completely into, but I found myself so focused on the fears of each of the characters and the unique red herrings that I rushed past the drama. I did feel that some aspects of the plot weren't truly answered. Not sure if this was overlooked or done for the dramatic.

The characters are not necessarily likeable. Each one has secrets and personality traits that were not wondrous but I cannot deny that I was glued to their predicaments. Boorman definitely crafted an excellent setting. Outside of a few areas I was hooked.

Thank you Penguin Teen for the gifted digital copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts are my own. Totally recommend to ya readers looking for a little creepy thrill in their life.

Love getting ready for the horror season. What sold me on this book - the comparison to Descent, which is still one of my favorite horror movies. There's just something horrific about being in the closed off tunnels, in complete darkness, with very limited supplies. Add a bit of local lore, four girls that don't actually know each other, and have their own motivations and reason to be there.. well here we go. Wild ride.

What didn't work for me, was the repetitive writing, and constant bickering, Kind of reduced the build up of fear and claustrophobia that I wanted to experience.

Do I still recommend this one - hell yes. Will this be a favorite of mine - not so much. Also - who wouldn't pick this one up just based on the cover alone.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Into The Sublime

Author: Kate A. Boorman

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 4/5

Diversity: Korean character with parasomnia, MC with asthma

Recommended For...: young adult readers, psychological thriller, mystery, horror, cave exploration, urban legends

Publication Date: July 26, 2022

Genre: YA Psychological Thriller

Age Relevance: 13+ (death, gore, drugs, violence, cursing, panic attack, animal death, animal injury, animal attack)

Explanation of Above: There is death mentioned and shown in this book, along with violence mentioned and some gore involving blood, dead bodies, injury description, and vomit. There are some drugs briefly mentioned and a panic attack shown. There is some cursing and there are depictions of a dog having died in the book, along with a rabid dog injury to a human and animal attacks from both bats and a dog being described.

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

Pages: 368

Synopsis: When the cops arrive, only a few things are clear:
- Four girls entered a dangerous cave.
- Three of them came out alive.
- Two of them were rushed to the hospital.
- And one is soaked in blood and ready to talk.

Amelie Desmarais' story begins believably enough: Four girls from a now-defunct thrill-seeking group planned an epic adventure to find a lake that Colorado locals call "The Sublime." Legend has it that the lake has the power to change things for those who risk—and survive—its cavernous depths. They each had their reasons for going. For Amelie, it was a promise kept to her beloved cousin, who recently suffered a tragic accident during one of the group’s dares.

But as her account unwinds, and the girls’ personalities and motives are drawn, things get complicated. Amelie is hardly the thrill-seeking type, and it appears she’s not the only one with the ability to deceive. Worse yet, Amelie is covered in someone's blood, but whose exactly? And where's the fourth girl?

Is Amelie spinning a tale to cover her guilt? Or was something inexplicable waiting for the girls down there? Amelie's the only one with answers, and she's insisting on an explanation that is more horror-fantasy than reality. Maybe the truth lies somewhere in between?

After all, strange things inhabit dark places. And sometimes we bring the dark with us.

Review: I really liked this book! I thought it was an excellent horror book that incorporated the back and forth methods of storytelling well and read like a horror movie like The Descent. It reminded me a lot of The Rules for Vanishing actually! The book had great writing and the world building was very well done and atmospheric. I also liked that the greatest enemy the reader and the characters face is their own psyche.

However, I did have some issues with the character development and I wished it was a bit more brought out. I was also a little confused by some of the motives, but I think it’s because this type of book requires a reread.

Verdict: It’s good!

𝙱𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚃𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠

Today is my stop for Into the Sublime hosted by @TBRBeyondTours
Thank you for having me and thank you to @HenryHoltBooks and the author for this gifted copy!

Check out my review below

Into the Sublime by Kate A Boorman
@Kate_A_Boorman
Genre: Young Adult Horror
Publishing Date: July 26, 2022

𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦, 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢 𝘧𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳:

X 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘷𝘦.
X 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦.
X 𝘛𝘸𝘰 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭.
X 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬.

This is the premise for Into the Sublime and it only gets more insidious and creepier from here. Four girls head into the woods searching for the Sublime, a lake deep within an underground cave system that legend says will reveal your deepest fears and change the thing within in that you most desire. But what if your deepest desire isn’t what you think?

The atmosphere is absolutely chilling as main character and narrator, Amelie, recounts the events, unraveling a story that seems impossible. The more she tells, the more intense and bizarre it becomes. Each girl is there for reasons of their own and each with inherent fears that play on their experience.

Any fan of YA horror will find themselves entertained with this psychological trauma of a story!

I received this book from TBR and Beyond Tours + Publisher in exchange of an honest review.

😍: That cover! I am a big big cover lover as most of the peeps who follow me know. And this cover? This cover just screams at me that I need to read it. I just love the darkness, how there is a girl just surfaced from the water and staring at us. What happened to her? And what will happen if we read the book? Love love it.
😍😍: That we switch between Now and Then. In the now we see our MC talk to the police officers on what happened before and after. Where the cave is. And of course we do get some delicious little nuggets of information. Not to mention… is what the MC is saying to the police true or not? And then we switch to the Then in which we follow the girls into the search for The Sublime… but also afterwards because finding it is #1 but getting out is a definitely #2.
😍😍😍: It was SO FREAKING claustrophobic at times. And that from a girl who is fine in smaller spaces, but dang this book made me gasp for air and I just felt tight. As if I was there with the girls in these dark and scary caves. If I was there when the paranoia from it all set in.
😍😍😍😍: Unreliable narrator + characters. At least, it seems to be that way, though it can also be that the author made some mistakes (like when Amelie talks how she did that Dissent thing with the water and then in the cave says she cannot swim). But I will just go for the unreliable stuff. That is much more fun and makes the book even more exciting. Because what are the reasons these girls want to go in, and are they all honest? Or not? I had fun keeping an eye out for eventual lies, change of emotions, or if something just seemed off. I couldn’t wait for more revelations as the story went on.
😍😍😍😍😍: The fears are really well done. Though I cannot think of what Devon’s fear was.. did she have one? Most of the focus is on the MC’s fear, followed by Kibby and the Skinflayer (aka Gia and H’s fears). But I did love the fears, especially the MC’s as we get to experience it so up close. And FREAKING HELL, it is scary. I am sorry, but the caves were already claustrophobic and then you add in this. I was noping out so hard at times. XD

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/

Overall

It’s that time of year when I devour spooky stories. The more it sends goosebumps up and down my spine, the better, as far as I’m concerned. So the moment I saw this cover, I knew I had to give it a try. Plus, that premise? Four girls go in, three come out, one covered in blood? Golden. Oh my gosh, yes.

Into the Sublime is a journey into the darkness . . . both literally and that which lurks in the human soul. Four girls go into a cave, but only three come out in this twisty, creepy, atmospheric psychological thriller.

Oh my gosh, the atmosphere in this book! I had chills most of the time I was reading. Not one I’d recommend reading before bed! Everyone is a suspect as things start going wrong for this group of strangers, and every time I thought I knew how it was going to end, I was mistaken. My biggest complaint was the open ending, but that’s just because I’m not a fan of that sort of ending. I like more concrete answers, personally! Authors, please don’t let my imagination fill in the gaps. It goes a little overboard, and suddenly there’s a castle filled with dragons and at least five chocolate fountains and a talking sword for no obvious reason and now I’ve completely forgot what the plot was. But that’s okay because dragons.

My Thoughts

- Four strangers enter a cave. Only three come out, and one is covered in blood. What a premise, right?! If that right there doesn’t pique your interest and make you want to read, then this probably isn’t the book for you, honestly. Call me simple, but when I see a premise that promises to be twisty and full of surprises like that, I jump on it. And let me say, Boorman did not disappoint. There are a few twists that readers will likely see coming, but enough surprises where I didn’t want to put it down.

Into the Sublime is told by an unreliable narrator with a split timeline. The story starts in the “present,” as police are called to the scene of three women who emerge from a cave. One is covered in blood (or protagonist, Amelie). Two are immediately sent to the hospital in critical condition. One is missing. The bulk of the story is told in the past, occasionally undercut with the present. The reader struggles to understand what happened along with the police that are on the scene as the story unravels little by little.

This is definitely the sort of book with a slow build with a big payoff. It skirts the line between realism and magic, with the reader left to decide how they want to interpret everything that happens.

- This is your typical “monster in the dark” horror, set in a cave with an interesting lore: those who find the lake, known as the Sublime, are granted a wish. Well . . . sort of. Technically, what the legend says is that whoever finds the lake will be “changed.” That’s a pretty neutral statement, right? Change isn’t always for the better. It’s almost the “be careful what you wish for” trope, but not quite.

The lore behind the Sublime is really quite interesting as it unfolds in the story. Even more interesting is what brought four complete strangers together in pursuit of such a thing. On the surface, it seems like it’s simple adventure-seeking. Not everything is so cut and dry, though. People are selfish as a general rule, so it makes sense that everyone is hoping to get something different out of this scenario. And no one is telling the truth.

- This is a fun bunch of characters. They’re all very different, quite quirky, and definitely have secrets that they aren’t ready to share with the group. I particularly enjoyed the banter between the characters. High-stress situation means there’s a lot at stake and the best (and worst) of someone’s personality come out. I will say that one slight drawback is that I never felt like I really connected with any of the characters, who were really reduced to one major character trait each. Still, I was in this book for the horror, and I didn’t really need to connect with the characters. I mean, I don’t watch psychological horror movies to feel for the characters. I watch them because life is terrifying, and I like the weird thump-thump my heart does and the goosebumps they give me. So it wasn’t a huge issue for me, in any case.

I don’t want to say too much about the characters, because discovering them and learning their secrets is kind of part of the point of the mystery. Also, it’s extremely satisfying. Why would I want to deprive you of that?! Needless to say, joining them on their venture into the darkness is actually quite fun. In a way I never thought entering an extremely dark, probably dangerous, potentially fatal cave would ever be.

- Boorman is a master at creating a spooky atmosphere that will drag you into the dark and force you to keep reading to uncover the answers! Confession: I’ve had a deep-seated fear of the dark, along with claustrophobia. So being stuck in a cave? Kind of a nightmare scenario for me. Boorman really exploited that natural fear by creating a tense, claustrophobic atmosphere with monsters lurking in the shadows. Definitely enough to give any reader goosebumps, while not outright scaring the bejeesus out of them!

I enjoyed this YA thriller. I liked the writing style of the book. The world and character building was done well. I think more emphasis on them being underground and being more imposing feeling would have been great. It reminded me of a movie I’ve seen but I can’t remember the name of it right now. I enjoyed it over all and would recommend to any YA lover.

“Into the Sublime” is a psychological thriller, and this description fits the book pretty well. Why? Because you don’t know what’s the truth and what’s a lie. You will never be sure what really happened to the girls during their adventure, and it makes you question everything!

The story starts strong and during the whole read we’re switching time zones (past and present). All of this is told in Amelies’ point of view, and this makes the whole thing fascinating, as she isn’t a very reliable narrator. Sorry Amelie!

I loved the whole atmosphere as it got creepy really fast, at least in my opinion because I’m getting scared easily. In my eyes, “Into the Sublime” was a great horror story with a great pacing and detailed writing (mostly in terms of atmosphere).

I wouldn’t say that it is my favorite YA Horror story because it’s pretty difficult to meet the standard of my favorite Horror story from this year, but “Into the Sublime” was definitely a terrifying read and also managed to make your brain work (a lot). So it might not be a relaxing read as you are forced to think, and believe me you will overthink a lot in this story.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

What can I say? Cave horror is my jam - between books like The Luminous Dead and The Anomaly to the movie The Descent, I have yet to find a cave story that doesn’t ensnare me. Into The Sublime was no different. The pacing was great, with well-timed interruptions and breaks to maintain that forward momentum. The characters were interesting and with their own obvious (or not so obvious) goals at the very center of their stories.

I didn’t like the framing, with the prologue and epilogue in the form of these flash-forward pieces. I found it unnecessary (but I also generally don’t like frames in books anyway). It was also kind of hard to buy into the storytelling structure; yes, I’m aware that I just said that was something I liked: having the narrative interrupted by snatches of the present that throw us off our rhythm and lend forward momentum and remind us of consequences. However, when you’re actually reading the narrative sections, it’s very obvious that it’s not an oral retelling, even though that’s what it’s supposed to be. And if this was a conversation with a cop, you’d think there’s be a lot more questions and a lot less getting swept up in the narrative (at least for the cop’s part). I would have loved maintaining that little bit of mystery, leaving two very important questions unanswered, but they’re answered by the “epilogue”

Overall, I definitely found myself swept up in the story as a reader. As a writer, I saw a few too many holes to really say I loved it.

I was instantly intrigued by this book just by looking at the cover, and the story did not disappoint in any way. Boorman has a way of grabbing the reader's attention, getting them hooked, and dragging them along just enough to keep them on the line without spooking them.

- The characters: Its easy to empathize with four teenage girls who use adrenaline-seeking activities to fill some sort of void in their lives. Whether is to feel something, to prove that they are worthy, or if its assuage guilt...we have all had regrets or things we wished we changed, we just didn't look for a potential dangerous underwater cave lake.

- The plot: What starts out as teens doing dangerous stunts/dares because its "cool" turns into something so much darker and deeper than expected. The twists, the terror, the unknown is all mixed together, perfectly balanced in this book.

- Horror: If you a fan of horror movies and all the tropes that define them, this is the book to read. There are jump points, psychological mindf***ks, and a lot of spiraling that keeps you on a rollercoaster ride throughout the whole story. Its creepy and reflective all in the same moments.

- Pace: A lot of times, I'm rushed through the story and the conclusion hits you quick, but that wasn't the case with this book. I was trying to read all the clues, but when I thought I had it figured out, I was lead a different direction. There was just enough crumbs left for the reader to convince them to go deeper and deeper into the cave.

- Conclusion: I thought I knew how the book was going to end. I thought I knew who was behind all the terror, the tragedy, the crime. I didn't expect how introspective, how the book would psychologically mess with the characters. And at the conclusion, I didn't realize I would be smiling...and if that was really a good thing.

As a horror movie lover, this book delivered a great storytelling narrative while keeping you on edge about what will happen next.

An excellent read for those who love The Descent or The Blair Witch.

The premise of this book was AMAZING, it sounded like something out of a horror movie, and for the most part, it felt like it too! It was giving me total The descent+ As above,so below+ Blair Witch vibes which I really enjoyed. It was also quite a page turner for me because I just needed to know what happened! I felt like from the middle on it dragged a bit as it went back and fort between the story itself and the police investigation and the police kept asking over and over the same questions. I literally felt like screaming "just tell me what happened!!" The ending had some confusing/ambiguous parts that I have a love/hate relationship with & I believe some will feel the same about.
Despite that, it was a very entertaining, fast, & submersive read! I think horror movies fans would enjoy this

Scheduled to post 7/30/22.

While the visceral aspect of being buried alive or being trapped in enclosed spaces isn't my trigger, I did end up really liking INTO THE SUBLIME. It took me a minute to really start to appreciate the storytelling happening here, but once I settled in, and once everything came full circle in the end, I really ended up liking it.

So, yeah. If you're at all triggered by claustrophobia or being buried alive, this is probably not the book for you because about 90% of it takes place in an underground network of caves. This is not my particular brand of scary horror, and I think a lot of the book hinges on that from the reader perspective, so it fell short for me there. Honestly, until I really started getting into the story, it's what held the story at a distance for me, because so much of the storytelling relied on these elements being viscerally impactful for the reader. 

But once the storytelling got deeper and stopped focusing on those elements and more on the character elements and digging out the unreliable-ness of Amelie and the other characters, I started getting more and more into it and started getting invested in what's going on. So the book starts off as more of a classic horror story, then slides into psychological horror before slipping back out into the maybe zone of more classic horror. Is it or isn't it? The end of the story isn't really clear and I actually really like that unknown here. It works because I'm still satisfied by the ending overall. I don't need those little elements confirmed for me, and not confirming them only heightens the horror, IMO. Add in the hallucinations (but are they hallucinations?) and it amps up the horror all the more.

Amelie is a complicated character and I think going into it you know that you're getting a very affected picture of her story that gets picked apart as the plot unfolds. You just don't how affected it is until the end. Boorman does a great job of spinning heads around in this book and making you question everything, because so many different scenarios can make sense, and do. Which one is right? All of them? None of them?

I'm a fan of psychological horror and I really liked this blend of it in INTO THE SUBLIME. It plays with your head and your senses as you descend into this cave with these characters, as blind as they are. Only as you keep moving through it does reality start peeking in. Sort of. Who's version of reality is real? This is a fun one, in a messed up sort of way. 

4

This book was an unexpected hit! I anticipated it being a lighter summer read, but was pleasantly surprised with a very tense thriller horror! This has a lot of fun elements in it that reminded me a little bit of Panic mixed with Blair Witch and a bit of The Descent. You couldn’t have given me a more satisfying combo. The characters are a great mix of personalities and personal journeys, and I love that all of our leads are girls. I’m living for spooky summer horror set in creepy, claustrophobic caves. An excellent suffocating read during a humid heatwave which only aided the atmosphere.

An interesting premise, with exquisite atmosphere and horror, but I found the story a little hard to follow.

I would love to see this adapted as I think the story is really cool, but like I had a hard time with the book keeping my attention. It felt like I could zone out for pages and still not miss anything.

Maybe this would have worked better as an adult title?

A fun horror romp, but not the strongest.

Locals call it “The Sublime” an underground lake that is suppose give those who find it and survive the power to change things. That is what Amelie is hoping when she gets directions online from a secret source through the cave system that is suppose to hold the lake. She rounds up 3 other girls who are also adventure seekers to come with her. As their journey through the intricate cave system draws out they are forced to confront their real reasons for seeking “The Sublime” and the horrors they face down in the dark. When they finally emerge only three of them make it out, one covered in blood. What happened to the fourth girl?

Wow! This book will have you looking at caves very differently. The very real and detailed description of the cave system made me feel like I was there and claustrophobic at times. I loved the character development through the book and how the characters dealt with their own pasts and trauma and bonded together to try and survive. This was such a dark, grab you by the wrist and won’t let you go suspense book.

Between the title and the cover, I knew I was going to enjoy this book! It was spooky, claustrophobic, and a bit unhinged, and I loved it!

When Amalie brings three other girls from her thrill-seeking group together to find an underground cave and a magical lake called The Sublime. There is a local legend about a witch, missing girls, and the promise that if you find The Sublime something will change. Something you want most in the world. If only they didn't have to brave a cliffside staircase, and claustrophobic pathways, oh and did I mention that you also have to face your worst fear, and make it out alive? They certainly have their work cut out for them.
They all start on a united front, they want to find The Sublime. But as they trek along, things begin to go wrong, and they start to question each other's motives on why they are here... and if there is something more sinister going on.

I love how this book started with the discovery of a body washing up to shore. The only thing we're sure of is that it's not Amalie as she is the one telling this story. So as the story progresses we're trying to figure out which one of the girls didn't come out? and when that's revealed more questions remain. what happened to her? how did the others get out? I was sucked in from the first page, and just got more and more invested as the story progressed. I love how Amalie's recount of what happened is interspersed with her talking to Deputy Vargas, I also really enjoyed seeing Amalie through the Deputy's eyes and seeing what she thought about the situation. I loved how questions were left unanswered, and I really enjoyed the ending. It both answered and left unanswered the perfect amount, and left me wanting more!
This is the first book I've read by this author, and I will definitely be reading anything else she writes.

Anyone looking for a claustrophobic and unsettling story will find the perfect match with Into The Sublime, a self-aware YA thriller whose characters directly reference The Descent and As Above, So Below. With an unreliable narrator and slow nightmarish downward spiral into questioning reality that is reminiscent of The Luminous Dead, Kate A. Boorman cleverly creates an ominous, disorienting atmosphere that creeps the audience out by making our minds run wild with speculation about what dangers await the main characters.

The author takes her time showing the group dynamics unfold as Amelie and her companions navigate mundane setbacks and conflict before gradually introducing bigger threats and hints of possible supernatural occurrences. This isn’t the book for someone who wants a concrete monster revealed by the end of the first act, it’s for readers who delight in a story where the author delicately walks the line of portraying increasingly baffling and undeniably freaky phenomena taking place while still maintaining plausible deniability that nothing supernatural is going on. Personally I adore the tension and thrill when something afflicts the protagonists without being explicitly magical or paranormal, it’s always much more satisfying to me when that uncertainty is drawn out and we’re actively engaged in unravelling what on earth is going on along with the heroine.

Into The Sublime will appeal to fans of slow-burn psychological horror as a significant portion of the book involves teasing apart the clues dropped by Amelie about a tragic incident that involved her cousin which is the motivation for undertaking this search for a hidden lake out of local folklore about a one-eyed witch. The deeper the girls go into the cave system, the more it preys on their mental state and the more unreliable Amelie’s narration becomes. We only see H, Gia and Devon through her eyes, making them as innocent or sinister as she perceives them to be, and we’re led to entertain suspicions of one after another in turn based on the circumstances.

I always enjoy when social media impacts on the storyline in some way because in our modern society, technology is inescapable and affects our connections to fellow human beings on a daily basis, so it was a neat touch that the girls were strangers that connected through chance via Dissent, a group for thrill-seekers who completed dangerous challenges. Because the girls weren’t familiar with each other before this expedition to the wilds of Colorado, it was more plausible for Amelie to suspect that one of them could be deliberately toying with the group in a way that wouldn’t have made sense if they had all been friends from school.

The story jumps between a few timelines—while the majority of the book takes place in the first-person from Amelie’s perspective three months ago as the girls embark on their search for the witch’s cave, it opens with the surfacing of a body and Amelie’s subsequent email about it to a mysterious character, then at periodic intervals, her narrative is halted by a police officer who is questioning her directly after she’s discovered soaked in blood once she’s escaped the cave. The opening is deliberately ambiguous and sets up questions that are addressed (though not necessarily answered) by the end of the book, and while it may be jarring to some readers to be dragged from the depths of the cave out back to the normal world at random points, it’s a fun and effective framing device that makes it clear how guilty and unhinged Amelie looks to third parties. It adds an element of dread that takes the relief out of knowing that she survives whatever threats the group faces in the cave because what has she emerged to face in the real world, is she escaping the witch or a psychotic teammate or monsters only to be put in prison for murder? And just whose blood is she covered in anyway?

A well-written, spookily entertaining variation on the ‘trapped in a remote location’ horror trope with a unique creepy local legend and enough thrills and chills to keep readers on their toes. Its open ending that smartly ties off some loose ends while leaving others up to the imagination ensures this will linger in your mind for a while to come.