2/5 stars. To be released February 2023.

Where Darkness Blooms had a promising and creepy plot, but unfortunately did not live up to the hype. The ending was very anticlimactic and honestly disappointing. The town and story was creepy and disturbing but ultimately frustrating that no one else in the book realized something was going on. The ending was also frustrating for that reason as well. I usually really enjoy books with a plot like this, but this one missed the mark and it was hard to keep my attention for the last 25% of the book.

First and foremost, I'd like to say that I adored the vibes of this book. As a southern girl, I'm a sucker for any sort of southern gothic/southern horror/southern [insert anything freaky]. The tone of the writing absolutely nails the creepy, disturbing vibe that the cover promises. If you're a vibe reader, you're probably going to enjoy this story.

However, I'd have to say that from a structural standpoint, my biggest complaint lies with the prologue. Unfortunately, I think this story's tension would benefit from cutting the prologue entirely, or shifting it to later in the book. A lot of the narrative tension between the four girls revolves around understanding what is happening with the town, especially the darker parts. The prologue, while beautifully written, gives away too much of what makes the town itself function. The girls hear the windmill whispering for more, and they have to figure out what that means. Unfortunately, after the prologue, we as the reader know what the windmill and the town wants. If this was an attempt at dramatic irony, it fails because it kills the narrative tension driving the mystery for the first half of the book. If this was an attempt at hooking readers with a beautifully written folktale, it needs to be cut. The first chapter stands well enough on its own, and manages to catch attention without cutting into the narrative tension.

I've seen a few reviews saying that it's difficult to differentiate between the narrative voices. I would disagree with that note. I think the four characters voices are distinct enough that it's no problem to follow who is speaking.

There are some... concerning elements that other people have noted. Definitely check the trigger warnings before reading. (Note: thanks to the author for including that. It's very much appreciated, especially with the specific triggers involved).

Personally, while I didn't enjoy the romantic web in the story, I have to admit that it was enticing enough to see why others may enjoy it. I think this was just a case of "not my cup of tea". It's good tea, just not to my taste.

I did love the themes of intergenerational trauma and loss. They could've been better developed, but given that we're shifting between four character POVs, I'm not mad at the dev level we got.

TL;DR - If you're someone who reads books purely for vibes, you'll probably enjoy this. If you're someone who prefers plot or characters, this isn't going to be for you. The structure of the story needs some more polishing to truly reach it's full potential. Still, the vibe of the book is unmatched, and I appreciated the creepy, off-putting air enough to give it 3 stars.

Oh my gosh, what a book! I really didn't know what I was in for, but the story blew me away. The writing and scenery were stellar and I can't stop thinking about this book! I will definitely purchasing for our collection as we have patrons who will devour Where Darkness Blooms.

What an incredible book. I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style, and stayed for the girls finding their way to their own power and freeing themselves from the curse of the men around them.

Where Darkness Blooms by Andrea Hannah is creepy, suspenseful, and good horror fiction. Trigger warning for violence against women. What happens when the first settlers in this Kansas town of Bishop hear a message on the wind, "More."? What happens when a husband realizes the land wants a blood sacrifice and later the land wants more?

**For fans of Sawkill Girls**

An eerie town surrounded in sunflowers has a problem. Women go missing. The earth is thirsty for more. You follow along with the daughters left behind.

Check the trigger warnings on this. They are clearly stated on the first pages in the book. Sexual assault being the main one, imho.

It is a slow build to the action. We learn about each of the girls and their missing mothers. A lot of ground work is laid first so we understand their motivations. All the while, the creepiness of the town and surroundings is hammered in.

I absolutely love the cover. I’d not heard of this book at all but requested the arc solely for the cover! The plot was a bit slow for me. I enjoyed the Bo character. My heart went out to her. For me, this was a 3 star read. It was okay but it was a little too slow if a build for me and it was a bit more tell than show. However, books hit different for everyone so if you enjoyed The Sawkill Girls, this another book you’ll probably love as well. Similar vibes. Creepy stuff, isolated town, complex girls with sharp edges.

I really liked the premise of this, which was why I requested this in the first place. But what I was immediately disappointed by was that the twist was immediately revealed at the beginning. So for the rest of the novel I was frustratingly waiting for all the main characters to figure it out, too, which was over halfway into the story. This was especially annoying because two of them were heavily involved with one of the perpetrators, The twist should have been built up to so I would have gasped and be in shock-horror along with the rest of the girls.

Otherwise, I though this was good. The writing, though repetitive at times, really set the tone of the spooky town of Bishop and the eventual horrors that happen later on in the book. Even though the plot was predictable, it still was executed well enough to depict the themes it was aiming for . I didn't have too much trouble differentiating between the four POVs, but their voices do sound similar for the most part.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. I probably would recommend this to a younger audience, but mindfully because there are depictions of sexual assault.

First of all this cover is EVERYTHING. I don't know what it is about creepy girls with plants/flowers growing on their faces that always seems to draw me in!

There were trigger warnings included at the beginning of the book, but the work itself did not contain any graphic scenes, though it did reference violence, rape, and abuse.

Bishop is a small town in central Kansas haunted by misfortune – it’s common for women of all ages to go missing. Bo, Whitney, Jude, and Delilah live together on the outskirts of this town with their mothers, until their mothers disappear one day and don’t come back. Two years later, a memorial is held to honor their mothers at Bo’s insistence. Disaster strikes at the memorial, unearthing secrets and causing the girls to begin questioning everything they thought they knew about themselves and their town.
I was blown away by this work of magical realism. The author excelled at creating an immersive setting through her descriptions, making it come alive in an engaging and immersive way. I was able to lose myself completely in the book and felt like I was in Bishop with the girls. Similarly, tension was built slowly and incorporated well throughout the work. I never thought I would find sunflowers creepy until I started reading this!
Despite following four girls of similar ages, it was easy to keep the characters separate. Their personalities, including strengths and flaws, were unique from each other and incorporated well to create realistic characters.

Where Darkness Blooms
Andrea Hannah
The town is Bishop, Kansas, a small, isolated town with a terrifying secret. Bishop raises field after field of beautiful, bright colored sunflowers, they have windstorms and women go missing. The ground demands to be fed and women must pay the price. Windstorms sound the gong of the time to feed the ground.
Delilah, Whitney, Jude, Bo and their mothers live in a small house on the outskirts of the town until their mothers disappeared. It is common for women to go missing so the case is closed. The girls inherit the old house. The girls continued living there. Delilah and her boyfriend, Bennett have taken care of the girls since their mothers disappeared. Whitney lost her mother and her girlfriend Eleanor. Jude, Whitney’s twin sister has a secret. Bo wants to know what happened to her mother and suspects the town’s people know what happened.
From page one the reader can feel the eerie tone of this tale. Author Andrea Hannah is a master at establishing a comprehensive backdrop through her narratives, making it come to life in a captivating and meticulous way. Author Andrea Hannah uses descriptions to create the ambience that will enthrall the readers. She also creates characters with distinctive personalities. Each of the girls had their own traits. The girls worked well together as they attempt to discover the secrets of Bishop. I will never look at sunflowers the same again! This is creepy horror book perfect for October.

Bishop is a town with unusual wind storms, strange sunflowers as far as the eye and can see, and where women go missing. So when Delilah, Bo, Jude and her twin sister Whitney's mothers disappear nobody searches for them except the daughters they left behind. At the memorial service, the winds stir up something strange and the girls begin questioning everything they know about their town, it's residents, and what's really happening to its women.

Where Darkness Blooms is a dark feminist YA horror/mystery which follows four young women, who were "abandoned" by their mothers. They share a house as they try to pick up the pieces of their shattered life and try to navigate some tricky life situations. Delilah begins to feel pain whenever her boyfriend Bennett tries to touch her, Bo is hiding a terrible secret, Whitney who also lost her girlfriend, Eleanor, has been speaking to her from an old weathervane in the field, and her twin sister Jude is trying to ignore everything but she also has a secret. The gorgeous cover art is one of the things that drew me in but the plot sounded really intriguing as well. This novel has a nice little touch of magic, a cursed town, a series of mysterious disappearances/deaths (only women), and seemingly sentient sunflowers and wind storms. As much as I enjoyed this one the characters felt a little flat to me but otherwise this was a unique and interesting read. I will say that this covers some topics that might be triggering for some readers including: sexual assault, implied sex, murder, and alcohol use. If you are looking for something a bit different, with a touch of magic, and a town with a dark past then this one might be a good fit for you.

The weird. The darkness. The secrets. Im all for it i was on the edge of my seat reading this. It reminds of sawkill girls. I much appreciated the darkness in this YA. I feel like a lot of novels dont go to dark. The writing was insanely good cant wait to own in paperback

"Where Darkness Blooms" by Andrea Hannah is an ode to those who have been abused, manipulated, hurt, and left emotionally wounded. It's a story about pain and loss, but it's also about finding love and hope despite being in a horrible place. This tale will enthrall readers and hold them captive as they navigate the treacherous path of four young girls trying to survive in a world that wants to snuff them out.

In the dusty old town of Bishop where endless fields of sunflowers grow, windstorms keep people shut inside their homes, and women disappear all the time, is a town ridden with secrets. For four young girls, the biggest secret the sleepy town holds is the disappearance of their mothers. What happened the night they went missing? Did they truly leave without thought or care for their daughters? Or did something much more sinister occur?

Whitney, Jude, Bo, and Delilah are grappling with the aftereffects of their mother's disappearances. It's hard for them to move forward like life is normal when they're walking on the broken shards of their old life and the mystery that now shrouds them. Trying to uncover the clues of why their mothers are missing is another puzzle on top of the women who are dying or disappearing in Bishop at a rapid rate. Not to mention the strange voices and sensations the four young girls experience, all pointing to a common theme that might just explain what happened to their mothers, and what might happen to them if they aren't careful.

A brilliant, terrifying, brutal story that speaks to the violence women face and the unfair ideals men are expected to uphold. The intergenerational trauma that takes place can be felt in each character, however minor or big their role. It’s a testament to how deep trauma can bury its roots and how much of an uphill battle it is to overcome or to learn how to live with trauma. While the themes may be tough, readers will be able to relate to these topics and the characters.

Even though each chapter makes it clear which character is taking over the story, there are times when the characters blend together and it’s hard to remember whose perspective it is unless there are clues that give it away. While every woman is a strong, unyielding force in their own right, Bo felt like the strongest character with the most distinct voice. She is someone who truly stands out across these pages and leaves a deep, resonating impression. While healing is a difficult and complex process that requires a lot of patience and understanding, sometimes it’s hard to figure out why some of the leading girls are hung up on other characters or incidents over events that felt trivial. There are also certain themes and images that feel repetitive throughout the story. They start as a nice hint toward important topics and elements but begin to feel overdone partway through.

“Where Darkness Blooms” feels like a mystery, thriller, and supernatural mix with horror elements that will be fitting for any reader looking for a spooky tale with darker, emotional undertones. This addictive and fast-paced novel will be sure to keep readers up all night to reach the final conclusion. Check this book out on its expected publication date of February 21st, 2023! Add it to your TBR lists!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press (Wednesday Books) for inviting me to read a free e-arc of this chilling tale and the opportunity to share my honest opinion in this review.

Where Darkness Blooms is sultry, slightly spooky mystery. There is focus on the land, women missing, men’s rules, and secrets long ago buried.

They story is about four girls/young women trying to figure out the mystery of their missing mothers as well as other girls and women in their town. The elements of man vs women and land vs humans were there, and I liked the uncertainty the story and the mystery provided.

However, the four main characters were all similar and it was almost impossible at times to tell them apart. There was no distinct voice for each woman, and I got a bit of s muddy feeling from the details and trying to tell them apart; They all fell a bit flat. At first, I thought they were all sisters, but they talked about their missing mothers like there were different people so after a few chapters I began to understand they were not related but had the same issues to deal with, so they all lived together to help sold the mystery of their missing mothers. I liked that each character narrated parts of the story and that I got a bit of
understanding from each of their minds and personalities, I just wish I had more of a way to connect to them.

I really enjoyed the atmospheric way the land and the other elements came into play in the story, especially the sunflowers. I thought that was a magical touch. Those moments were my favorites within the story and if the story had revolved around this aspect, it would have been a five-star read for me.

I also couldn’t put my finger on the time period when this story was supposed to have taken place. There were times the story was in the past, then moments where is sounded like the present but never could I determine a specific moment and while that annoyed me it also kept me a bit off balance and added to the mystery of the story a bit.

Overall, this was a fun read, I liked the concept but don't think it will stick with me. I do really love the cover and I enjoyed the author's writing style. I will read more from this author in the future. I received an ARC via NetGalley and Wednesday Books and I am leaving an honest review.

Interesting worldbuilding of a town seemingly out in the middle of no where Kansas. The wind is a character, as well as the thousands of a sunflowers who seem to peer in windows as well as always looking at the girls. The beginning of the book tells how the town was formed, and don't forget that as you're reading. Does someone control the wind or is it an entity of itself, always listening and reacting to what it hears. The story centers around 4 girls who's mothers disappeared two years before, are they dead or alive? Women disappear or die from this town and nobody seems to care. When the girls decide to do something about it, it puts them in danger, and the answers aren't exact.y as they thought them to be. Thank you to NetGalley & St Martin’s Press for providing the ARC for my honest review.

This book kept you on your toes from start to finish and it was really tense. The book also had an overall dark creepy vibe to it that I really enjoyed. I had to take off some stars because it was hard to keep track of all the main characters at first and it kind of took you out of the story. It also didn’t make much sense that the moms abandoned the daughters in the first place and wouldn’t just call them. Overall, I thought it was a pretty interesting read. All opinions stated are solely my own. Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for a chance to read Where Darkness Blooms.

I loved this book. You’re transported into a creepy, secretive, sunflower-filled small town where women are going missing and dying at an alarming rate and no one seems to be doing anything about it. I loved the multiple POV’s with the four MC’s and the found family. I also just enjoyed the overall creepy small town atmosphere of this book. The writing is exceptional/very descriptive and I was hooked after the first sentence. I’ll also never look at sunflowers the same way again. Really enjoyed this, I’ll definitely be re-reading this again in the fall for some spooky vibes, and I’ll be recommending this to others.

DNF at 25% - I just couldn’t get into this book. There were too many characters. Instead of four teens with missing moms and their backstories, I wish it focused on one and the others could have been supporting characters.

This has quickly become one of the best books I have read this year!

If you are interested in: haunted vibes, small-town mystery, murder mystery, tiny bits of romance as a subplot, and found family.... this book is for you.

Where Darkness Blooms centers around Bo, Delilah, Whitney, and Jude as they deal with the lasting effects of their mother's disappearance two years ago. The town has brushed it off just like they do every other death of a woman in the town; however, Bo is not ready to give up. As hints of the town's true nature begins to unravel, the girls realize they have been living in a much more dangerous town than anyone has ever known.

This book did the haunted vibes better than any book I have ever read. Where Darkness Blooms is the best YA example of a haunted vibe done right. Starting from the missing women straight down to the descriptions of the houses and shops in town.
You are immediately transported into this creepy small town, where you can sense that things are off. The attention to detail was immaculate in describing the characters, town, and the world at large. The relationship between our main four girls is what really drives this story. We learn bit by bit about the tragedies these girls have faced along the way, as well as what they think is best to handle them. One of my favorite things is the use of sunflowers in this novel. The author brought life into every single blossom and petal, using them as a gateway for communication and symbolism.

I love how the author was able to create an entire backstory for this town, and its founding was able to make such a horrible curse that has plagued this town for centuries.

Each chapter changes POV, and sometimes it becomes a bit disorienting, especially towards the end when there is a lot of action. However, I do think it is necessary for some parts to keep each girl in the same timeline.

I would absolutely recommend this novel over and over to anyone trying to feel that Halloween spirit a bit early or even someone who is not the biggest fan of mystery, as i think this would be a perfect entry into the genre. Thank you to the author for letting me read this arc in exchange for an honest review and i cant wait to be able to buy the physical copy.

This was quite a surprise. Cleverly written, brilliant storyline! Where Darkness Blooms kept me guessing, cheering for the good guys and really wondering how it would end. Well done!

This was an eerie book with an unusual premise, which is right up my alley. While it did take me some time to wrap my mind around the four different POVs (this is an issue I've always personally had) and keep them separate, I ultimately enjoyed all of the characters. They each had their own unique flaws and personalities and were well-developed. They each served a purpose within the story and their peculiar family setup had me intrigued from the beginning.

The real winner here though was the setting. I could picture every aspect of this town. The neighbors who always know too much about you and give off that creepy vibe, the ominous sunflowers that made me question my love of sunflowers, and the wind that acted as a character itself. Andrea Hannah did a great job of bringing this town to life and making you feel as if you were there with the characters.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.