I got an ARC of this book.

DNF at 21%

I don't think a single thing happened in the entire time I was reading. This book gets so much praise, but I don't get it. It wasn't the worst book I had read, it was just boring.

Holy cow! This book knocked my socks off. I don't think I've read anything quite like it; a unique mash up of historical fiction and horror. I don't like Westerns typically, but this was so well executed that I actually wanted it to be longer, so rare!

Phenomenal story that kept me hooked from the first chapter and well after I had finished. LaValle writes beautifully but in a way that feels effortless and natural to read. Overall, well crafted story that blended classical horror elements with folk charm and a fresh concept.

This western inspired by the history of "lone women" homesteaders in the US follows a woman with a deadly secret locked away in her steamer trunk. But that's not the only secret lying in wait for her in Montana. And as she meets more people with secrets of their own in town, she realizes that maybe taking on this burden alone was exactly what led to her parents downfall. A really enjoyable historical fantasy horror with plenty of twists and turns.

Loving the new publishing trend of mixing horror with a period Western setting and Victor LaValle's is one of the best, exploring both literal monsters and the ways that women who exist outside of the controlling sphere of men are viewed as similarly dangerous.

I was so invested to know what was in the trunk the Lone Woman carried. When it was revealed it brought to light so many things. THe horror, suspense, nd great detail in the writing of this book was mesmerizing.

i really enjoyed it.

Lone Women by Victor LaVelle follows Adelaide Henry as she travels from California, her only home, to a land claim in Montana in the early 1900s. Why? Because she has a deep, dark secret that she must never reveal for fear of causing harm to others.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I honestly expected this to be a quick read that wouldn't have much of an impact on me, but once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. LaVelle weaved history, fantasy, equality, and mystery into a beautiful story of perseverance and the power of a strong woman. Lone Women was extremely well written in my opinion: the book moved at a perfect pace, and every word seemed earned and necessary to the plot. I always appreciate an author who can avoid excessive description while still providing enough details for me to picture each scene or feel each emotion in the book.

If you enjoy a good story, especially one that feels fresh and unique, I encourage you to add Lone Women to your reading list right away.

WOW. When LaValle described his work as multiple genres mushed into an entirely new thing, he wasn't wrong -- and it WORKS. The exploration of complex family relationships, the monster design, the rich worldbuilding that was clearly the result of a great deal of research -- chef's kiss. I also usually find child characters in horror irritating (because usually their authors don't know how to write from a child's perspective so they just use a grating, juvenile voice), but he was one of my favorite characters in the book. I hope LaValle explores weird Western settings more in the future!

A marvelous mix of settler experiences & accepting our monsters
The setting is vivid, characters are layered, and the story (a modern fairytale) is an engaging account of valor, friendship, family & acceptance set in the early West.
Victor LaValle tells the most original and surprising stories about people and monsters.

The review of Lone Women by Victor LaValle is in the June 2023 issue of SFRevu.com and is exclusive to them until July 1st, 2023.

Review link: <https://sfrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=20148>

An attention grabber from the start. Adelaide Henry is the main character, and we follow her through her journey from California to Montana in 1912. She meets strong women, develops friendships with her go it alone attitude but keeps deep secrets especially with that trunk of hers. I kept reading just to find out what happens to Adelaide and this trunk. The story develops well and the mystery is revealed. A bit history and I felt a bit fantasy as well. If you are looking for a book that is a bit out there, give this a chance. Highly Recommended.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and One World for providing me a copy of Lone Women in exchange for my honest review! I was contacted via e-mail to download this one, and was very excited to see it chosen as a Book of the Month selection!

3.5 stars rounded up for this one - I will say this one was pegged as a horror work, but I think I'd describe this more as a historical fiction with some very mild horror elements. I tend to like more "camp-y" style horror, and don't typically read anything *too* intense, and this one didn't bother me whatsoever. I'm landing middle of the road (plus a half star) because the first half of the book is amazing; you get to know Adelaide and her journey to Montana, and it's a really big character-building plot, which works because I was able to really connect with her.

The second half of the book felt a little off with the pacing, and all of a sudden we were hearing from all of these characters that felt strange and hard to remember. It was a shorter book and very easy to read, but I wish the second half would've matched the first half. Overall, I really enjoyed this work, and I'd love to check out LaValle's future works - I also like to see Book of the Month offering selections outside of the traditional thriller/contemporary fiction categories, and this was a great choice.

I don't know how to feel about this book.
Their review has a *spoiler*
I enjoyed the fictional history of the main character and the womennof thr Town.
However I didn't understand the point of her sister being a monster or that multiple people have delivered this being into the world. It felt out of place and included for the horror aspect of it.When the social horror of this book is already there. Bipoc women, single motherhood, and being trans in a small town in the early 1900s. That speaks enough for the story.
I am glad that though the women endured they were able make it on their own as a group.

I just reviewed Lone Women by Victor LaValle. #LoneWomen #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

This is a quick, tense read about a really interesting period/place that I, a lifelong New Englander, never really learned about. It's not scary in the way I was hoping it would be, necessarily, but I liked that it reminded me of Mike Flanagan's Midnight Mass and I also really loved the style of the writing--it's funny and direct without detracting from the building dread.

This was not what I thought this was going to be, but in a good way!

Adelaide Henry burns her house down with her dead parents inside and flees California for Montana with a bigger secret.

While on her way to Montana she travels with a mother and her 4 blind sons, and one day they disappear.

While in Montana Adelaide works to keep her monstrous secret while homesteading and befriends 3 other women in the same town.

This seemed chaotic at some points but eventually it all comes full circle.

There’s a little history, monster horror, creepy small town, step-ford vibes going on here and I loved it!

I love a horror novel that layers on the haunting elements one after another. The seclusion of uncharted Montana, the nefarious people who roam that land, and the monster Adelaide brings with her, made it hard for me to put down this book. I just had to know what hell was going to be around the next corner.

If you’re in the mood for an atmospheric historical horror novel full of intriguing mysteries and compelling characters, I definitely recommend LONE WOMEN! LaValle (whose work I discovered with the excellent THE BALLAD OF BLACK TOM) is a really excellent writer, and his skills are on full display here; this novel starts off with a bang, and as it goes on it combines historical fiction with horror and a delightful side of found family. It's a book about monstrosity, human and inhuman alike. The setting was almost a character unto itself: this is a trope which I really love in horror, and I thought was brilliantly done here.

All in all, a really good read, and worth picking up. Thanks so much to One World and Netgalley for the ARC!

Victor LaValle, you sicko!!! I love it. I did not see where this story was going. Or, when I did, I still felt like it was fresh and fascinating. Historical fiction is never really my jam, but when you're this good of an author, you can break all the rules.

“There are two kinds of people in this world: those who live with shame, and those who die from it.”

Lone Women is a mix of western and horror that tells the story of Adelaide Henry, a Black woman who leaves California after burning down her home. She is setting off to homestead in Montana in 1915. Adelaide is haunted by a secret that she carries with her in a locked steamer trunk, and she soon finds herself caught up in a web of violence and supernatural forces. The book explores themes of race, gender, and violence.

LaValle's writing is evocative. He creates a vivid portrait of the Wild West at the turn of the 20th century. My only criticism is the ending, which felt like a letdown after the excellent start. Overall, though, this is a worthwhile read.

Lone Women was one of the most unique and compelling horror stories I’ve ever read. I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly the plot moves along. Beginning with a truly disturbing event, Adelaide begins traveling with only the clothes on her back and a very heavy trunk, the contents is which no one knows except for Adelaide as she searches for a new start as a lone homesteader in Montana.

The combination of the uneasy moments that arise during travel paired with the ominous mood made this book a complete page-turner from the get go! What in the world was in that trunk?! I just had to find out! I felt this dark and haunting feeling from the first page and it never let up. For those wondering, the answer is yes, you will find out what is inside the trunk.. and it’s well worth the wait to find out.

While Lone Women is technically my first book by this author it is definitely not my last.

If you love horror, or if you’re interested in trying horror for the first time, this would be the perfect choice for you.