I found Lone Women to be an interesting and engaging read. I enjoy books that cross genres. The mix of historical, fantasy, and horror was definitely unique! This one is definitely a page turner.

Adelaide Henry carries an enormous steamer trunk with her wherever she goes. It’s locked at all times. Because when the trunk opens, people around Adelaide start to disappear.

The year is 1915, and Adelaide is in trouble. Her secret sin killed her parents, forcing her to flee California in a hellfire rush and make her way to Montana as a homesteader. Dragging the trunk with her at every stop, she will become one of the “lone women” taking advantage of the government’s offer of free land for those who can tame it—except that Adelaide isn’t alone. And the secret she’s tried so desperately to lock away might be the only thing that will help her survive the harsh territory.

Crafted by a modern master of magical suspense, Lone Women blends shimmering prose, an unforgettable cast of adventurers who find horror and sisterhood in a brutal landscape, and a portrait of early-twentieth-century America like you’ve never seen. And at its heart is the gripping story of a woman desperate to bury her past—or redeem it.

Lone Women was an absolutely amazing read! I have heard a lot of buzz surrounding LaValle’s works, but this is my first time reading one of his novels and I was not disappointed. The story follows Adelaide Henry, a woman who flees everything she’s ever known with a few of her belongings. Traveling her way through the states she ends up in Big Sandy, Montana, a very small town where nobody knows her past and she can start anew again. But as she settles on her secrets and heavy baggage seems to wear her down and when the lies become unraveled can she run from her past.

It’s hard to know what you expect out of any horror novel but this one (while it does have some gore) Lone Women mainly relies mainly on suspense. The novel is detailed enough to place the reader in Adelaide’s shoes but also simplifies certain aspects to leave it up to the reader’s imagination. The latter is much more powerful as the parts that are unseen in a horror novel/film always leave you the most terrified. The novel excellently displays how appearance can be deceiving as more sinister things and people start to reveal themselves. The multiple point-of-views allow the reader to get into these characters’ heads and deepest thoughts. I loved the detailed descriptions used to describe the horror aspects, but LaValle makes things just vague enough to keep the reader on their toes.

“That’s why I’m warning you,” Eleanor said. “Whatever damage the demon does, they’ll come for you. And they will repay you a hundred times.”“I’m not scared of them,” Adelaide insisted, sounding more like a stubborn child. “You should be.”

I appreciated the title of Lone Women and how it plays into the plot. These women are seen as weird or outcasts because people don’t understand them. Each one bears a heavy weight but their tenacity, courage, and independence are what make them strong. This novel is so engaging from beginning to end. Each chapter had me fully engrossed. It’s hard to talk about this novel without spoiling it, but I do recommend going in blind to get the full reading experience. I can’t wait to read more of LaValle’s works. This novel delivered on the thrills and the chills. I highly recommend it!

Didn't realize this was a horror novel- but so glad it was! Will definitely be adding Victor LaValle to my must read lists!

Adelaide Henry, thirty-one years old, methodically douses gasoline over the furniture and fixtures in the home she shared with her parents. After all is said and done, she blamed her parents Glenville and Eleanor for everything that has caused her to set fire to the home she grew up in.

Waiting outside is Adelaide’s driver who is to transport her to her new homestead in Montana. Before leaving, Adelaide bids farewell to her parents lying in their bed covered with blood stained bedsheets and a good dose of fuel. Striking the match, Adelaide casually lights the bedsheets before exiting the house — taking with her a large and very heavy steamer trunk…

The characters in Lone Women are varied and diverse with the primary character being somewhat developed. The other characters provided the needed window dressing to flesh out the storyline. Even so, something was missing as I didn’t feel anything toward any of the players.

Lone Women started off with a bang. But after a while, the pacing slowed to a trot. There are a number of hills and valleys in this novel that got a little tiresome. But the plot twists sprinkled throughout the novel kept me forging on, only to be disappointed by the big and bizarre reveal. After that, it was too late to quit and the finale just left me empty with more questions than answers. Two okay stars.

I received a digital ARC from One World (Random House Publishing) through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

This is not my usual read- it’s historical fiction, with fantasy and horror. If you like these genres wrapped up into one, this book is for you. This story had lots of twists and turns.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a complimentary copy. My options are my own.

I'd been meaning to read Victor LaValle's books for years and never had the chance to get around to it. So when I was sent the opportunity to read this, I took up on it. And then I saw it was historical fiction and lord. I do not like historical fiction. But I thought I would give it a try and do my best.

This was incredible. Also continuing the weird trend I have where I always forget to read the plot.

This was horrific and I loved it. It was a smidge slow at the beginning and took me a little while to get into it, but once I did, it was truly a race to the finish to get through it. This was really a delightful little book and I loved so much of it. The historical element gives it something special added to it. The "twist" is wonderful and I really enjoyed it.

It had an aspect of things I love in horror movies (and I, if i'm being honest, can't stand horror in film but I love reading it) and really helped it to flourish.

Really great! a 4.5 that I'm rounding up.

Thank you to One World and NetGalley for a chance to read early for an honest review.

*ARC provided from the publisher via NetGalley.

This book was a WHIRLWIND. When I started reading, I was expecting more of a standard historical fiction thriller but when I finished reading, it was 2 am and I was contentedly confused as to how the story ended up where it was. The book was rich in detail and provided keen insight into the experiences of "lone women" homesteading by themselves, and the communities of care that were developed in extreme and dangerous environments. I appreciated the mystery developed throughout the story in regard to both story and character backstory, even if the plot twists were unexpected almost to the point of ridiculous. This was the first story I've read from LaValle, but I will be on the lookout for his other work.

not my typical read but very good.
Part historical fiction , part sci-fi and fantasy,part horror story,and most significantly, a story of lone women living in a harsh unforgiving Montana wilderness and surviving!!!There are multiple twists and turns and surprises ,all of which keep the reader involved and excited. In short, very good!!!

I received a free electronic ARC of this western historical novel from Netgalley via publisher Random House, and the author Victor Lavalle. I have read this novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. Victor LaValle writes a compelling historical set in the wilds of 1915 Wyoming. It is a fairy tale to curl your toes.

Adelaide Henry is a 31-year-old black woman who has spent her years helping her parents on their central California farm. Upon the gruesome death of her parents, she packs up her necessaries and a trunk, sets fire to her home, and heads out of her comfort zone for the wilds of Montana where she intends to homestead some range land with the last of her cash. Most states at that time in the west would only issue homestead land plans to men, but Montana is more enlightened and will issue a homestead, to be proven in the first three years, to anyone. Adelaide's land is dangerously close to the Canadian border, winter is just around the corner, and it takes most of her stash to recompensate the land agent for the 20x20 cabin and hand-dug well on her spread, items provided by a previous tenant who was unable to achieve his homestead requirements.

Already, things are not going well. Spending her growing years in California farm country, Adelaide is not prepared for real winter. Nor is she going to be able to control the danger, inherent to lone women isolated on homesteads in the backcountry. To say nothing of the grief she has packed away in that trunk.

Lone Women by Victor Lavalle
LGBTQ representation, Historical Horror

When a book starts out burning bodies on page 1 I'm all the way hooked.

Lone Women by Victor Lavalle as the title implies uses a heavy dose of suffrage and homesteading as a backdrop for bitter paranormal entanglement. These characters kept me completely captivated. If you're a fan of dark, noir historical horror, go buy this book now. The author does not pull his punch. It lands fully. The raw emotion and depth to this story makes it infinitely buy-worthy. I can't say enough good about this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book!

It was interesting to meld some usually-unrelated genres like Westerns and supernatural. I am not sure if it was too fantastical? Maybe I was trying to keep the "rules" of Westerns straight with the "rules" of supernatural? I feel like maybe this book tried to do too much. Western, supernatural, feminism...maybe I just found it too hard to believe.

An interesting take on pioneer life and what it took to survive. The plot had lots of twists and turns.

This book was excellent up until the mysterious box was opened. After that, I felt the plot dragged and I could not become invested in any of the characters. I hoped for so much more from this.

Victor LaValle pens a hell of a tale as usual with LONE WOMEN. I received an advanced review copy from NetGalley and am grateful for the opportunity to get a sneak peek of this one.

I don't need to read a synopsis or know anything about a new LaValle before I know I need to read it. Dude is that good. One of my must read authors for sure.

There is an escalating sense of anticipation from the very first pages of this one. Something's going on with Adelaide Henry and her mysterious steamer trunk. Something's going on indeed. Something's going to be unleashed.

I'm not typically into the horror genre, but the summary for this book called it 'inventive horror' and I was intrigued. Inventive it is! I was pulled in right from the start with just enough information to make me want to know what the heck is going on, why is Adelaide fleeing California and why are her parents dead?! There was always just enough truthful information dangled in front of me to keep the pages turning past my bedtime. I wanted answers. I wanted to know what was in the trunk! I'm happy to say Victor LaValle delivers and did not leave the readers wondering and this made me very happy. There were a few times I felt fear while reading the book, but what I really came away with made me feel good and hopeful too. The women in the book are strong, resilient, and capable, and I found the story to be a fun, creative twist on the horror and historical fiction genres that I very much enjoyed.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House, One World for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

This had all kinds of my buzzwords going for it - horror, historical American setting, homesteading, creepy creature. As soon as I started it I knew it was going to be something I really enjoyed.

Unfortunately time has not been on my side this week and it’s taken me 5 days to read these couple hundred pages in very short bursts. I wish I would have saved this for a weekend to devour in one day. I think that would have upped my enjoyment.

But as a whole this is a FANTASTIC story by a new to me author. The writing and vibes were great, the story was dread inducing at the beginning. Once we learn everything this did fall off a little for me. I liked the unknown but the story did end up being surprisingly sweet. This has many great elements and I foresee this being a big hit this year!

I received an eARC via NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

In December, I requested a galley edition of Lone Women by Victor LaValle. I requested it based on the blurb I read and seeing a number of people who were super excited about the author releasing a new book. I am always happy to discover a new author and I was intrigued. I was approved for the galley and downloaded it, where it waited patiently in my TBR pile.

Let me say this- I knew NOTHING about Victor LaValle. By the time I opened my galley of Lone Women, I no longer remembered anything about the synopsis of the book. In other words, I went in as blind as blind could be. Judging from the cover, I thought this book would be a historical fiction book based on homesteading in Montana.

Well, I wasn't exactly WRONG but I was so far from right. You have never seen a reader as confused as I was about a third of the way into the book. It literally felt like I had fallen into topsy-turvy world!

The good of all this is that I was in for one hell of a ride, not knowing that this book had an element of horror. I had no freaking idea what was going on but you better believe it kept my attention. Several times I had to just set it down and breathe for a minute- what had I gotten myself into?!

I was completely engaged. Confused, mystified and at times over my head, but always engaged. I could not wait to see where Lone Women was going to take me next. And I won't say more, because there may be another reader out there who is as clueless as I was.

You better believe I will remember who Victor LaValle is from this point forward!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a galley edition of Lone Women in exchange for an honest review.

Adelaide Henry leaves her family farm house ablaze, with her dead parents inside. She is leaving California for Montana, with a mysterious trunk that rarely leaves her sight. I was hooked from the beginning of this book. So many questions and the answers come, as her story unfolds. A lone Black woman, looking for her place to belong. An amazing story with interesting characters kept me up late at night. And I will admit, there were a couple pages where I held my breath. It’s been a long time since a book has scared me. I loved it! My kind of book from an author I enjoy.

Thank you to NetGalley, and One World/Random House for this ebook to read and review.

Adelaide Henry is a young, black woman who has left behind her family farm in California to stake her claim as a homesteader in Montana. With her travels a locked steamer trunk, its secret her heavy burden.
LaValle manages to excellently examine the weight of family secrets and the challenges of surviving as a woman and person of color in a world where both the elements of nature and the elements of society society are fighting against them. His setting is written in a way that it becomes practically a character in itself. The isolation and harshness of the Montana wilderness highlight the necessity of community for survival, even as our principal characters must struggle to create one in a society heavy with racism and misogyny.
If I were to offer any criticism, it is that there were places that the pacing felt uneven, in ways that didn't serve to highlight the story. On the whole, an excellent work. I highly recommend LaValle to any fans of atmospheric horror or a seeking a Lovecraftian feel without his racist baggage.

Historical fiction combined with horror in Lone Women was a definite hit for Victor LaValle. I was hooked from the beginning. This book combines so many different genres to create one perfectly atmospheric novel. The characters were real and tangible yet with an allure of mystery. This was one of the best novels Ive read in a long time. It was a first for me from this author but wont be my last.