This was certainly terrifying and extremely well paced! I think he tried to convert me to Catholicism at the end tho so that was weird. I also found the characterizations a little thin for some very important characters. I didn't personally enjoy it, but I think it's successful at doing what it wanted to do, so four stars.

It took some time for me to get through this, I needed to read it in the daylight. Horror is not always my favorite genre but I do like to try out books with horror. This is a religious horror that was full throttle from the first word. The story centers around a orphanage for boys and how their lives unravel when a group of men arrive late one night....

My first Philip Fracassi and what a doozy!
Boys in the Valley is a coming of age novel that feels like it was written by Stephen King, but in a contemporary voice even in a historic setting. We follow a group of orphaned boys, and the priests who care for them, in an intense twenty-four hour fight for their lives against a demon/demonic forces. The book follows a large cast of characters, is set in the winter, and reads at a break neck speed. This book is definitely for fans of: Stephen King, Lord of the Flies but make it splatterpunk, The Exorcist, and coming of age novels with heart.

Thank you to the publisher, Tor Nightfire providing me with an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a nonstop tension filled night of horror. I loved the set up and almost everything about it. I sometimes had trouble keeping the characters straight in the beginning because they did not have a lot of variety. Once sides were chosen, some started to stand out. Still, most kind of faded into the background. The entire thing had the feel of 70s religious horror. It was an awesome throwback.

Oftentimes a story will telegraph foreboding; sometimes that's positive, but sometimes it's annoying. No problem of telegraphing here; we're strolling merrily along, warming to a few of the characters, accepting most of the rest, identifying human evil plus a bad case of rampant overweening Hubris. Then suddenly, this quiet historical tale JUMPS UP AND HEAD-BUTTS US!! Through a concussion and bloody nose, we're shouting, "WHAT JUST HAPPENED? HOW DID WE GET HERE?"

Thank you NetGalley, Tor Nightfire, and Philip Fracassi for the advanced copy of Boys in the Valley in exchange for my honest review.

This was SO entertaining I can hardly put it into words. The entire time I was reading I kept thinking to myself that a limited series of this book could be amazing. "The Exorcist meets Lord of the Flies" is a spot on mash-up and this book DELIVERED.

It was creepy as hell, suspenseful, and I could not wait to see what was going to happen next. My only complaint was one thing that happens at the end (no spoilers) but I do totally understand why Fracassi decided to go that route. (IYKYK)

Somehow this was my first read by this author but it absolutely won't be my last!

Phew, this book...!

I'd seen this EVERYWHERE when I was lucky enough to be sent an advance copy. The author was pleasant on social media, and I was looking forward to diving in. Even though I'd seen it compared to everything from 'The Exorcist' to 'Lord of the Flies', with effusive praise all over the place, I approached it as I always try to do - as a book in itself. A unique story.

Boy, is it that!

The tale starts gently... before quickly swerving. This isn't a nice, happy school that we're watching; it's a cold, winter religious school for unwanted boys, with priest/teachers ranging from good and decent to downright awful.

We meet the boys, learn their friendships and worries, see them work together against the adult world.

And then... it's all tipped on its head.

A difficult, isolated and lonely school is suddenly home to a very real demonic presence, with a group of men struggling in from the snowy woods nearby. Not quite 'The Thing', but that was in my mind. We quickly move into the part that others had noted as 'Exorcist'-like, but that's over relatively quickly.

Quietness resumes, if rather shaken. But of course, it's not.

This book takes its time introducing the characters and setting, because we're going to be trapped with them for the duration. The evil that arrives is truly monstrous, and the fact that this is a religious school (albeit with varying degrees of 'godly' perspectives) makes it somehow even worse as we watch everything fall.

This is horror. The real human world versus what seems almost inevitable downfall. Before I knew it, I found myself going from passive observer/reader to actively rooting for the boys to come through intact - which of course, they won't. Edge of seat stuff.

If it reminded me of anything, it was the graphic novels of John Constantine. Constant hope in the face of imminent supernatural, unknowable doom. We have to hope and battle, or what chance do we have?

Very much a heart-pounding read, and worthy of its recommendations.

This was such a wild ride of a book with a lot of my buzzwords of horror included; possession? Check. Isolated setting? Check. Boys running amok Lord of the Flies style? Check! The pacing of the narrative was excellent, with clear set up scenes leading to powerful horrific moments, before taking things back down a notch to build back up to the next big action scene. The characters were a little bit one note, but this is very much a plot forward story and the boys were different enough to be interesting to follow. I also enjoyed the way in which the writing switched from third to first person depending on who's point of view we were reading from. My main issue was with the ending, which just felt a little bit anti-climactic for me, given the action that had preceded it. With that being said though, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be eagerly anticipating Philip Fracassi's next offering.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.

And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. (King James Version, Mark 5.8-9)

It’s 1905 in Pennsylvania, and we’re at a Catholic orphanage for boys. Our protagonist, Peter, has been at the orphanage for seven years, ever since his father shot his mother (accidentally setting the house on fire in the process), and then put his shotgun under his own skin and pulled the trigger in front of young Peter. Since that night he’s been at St. Vincent’s, and is almost ready to enter the priesthood himself, if he can decide he loves serving God enough to give up hopes of marrying the Hill girl down the road someday.

It’s early winter in Pennsylvania, and everyone is trying to get ready for the time when they’ll all be hunkering down as the snow falls, the rough roads become impassable, the game goes to ground or is all hunted down, and there is not even one root vegetable left in the ground. The orphanage, already living on Christian charity alone, barely has enough food to feed their charges, which number close to 40. They are completely full of growing boys of all ages, and not one of them isn’t living with their own inner demons.

Not the biblical ones, silly.

Not until one night, when the county sheriff brings his horribly injured and possessed brother to the door of the orphanage and begs the priests to help save his brother’s soul. That night, something dark is let loose on hallowed ground and into the vulnerable souls of damaged boys.

The thing about darkness is that you never know who it’s going to affect, why it’s going to affect them, and just how bad it’s going to be when it hits them. Sometimes it’s the ones you suspect the most. Sometimes, it’s the last ones you expect.

This book is stark and bleak, but vividly drawn with gore and terror. There’s a great juxtaposition between heroism and sainthood. There’s another great juxtaposition between being made evil and being primed for evil (we’re leaving the moral/philosophical argument about the notion of evil out of this since this book is set in a highly religious landscape and has a lot of biblical references). This book is no Hobbes v. Rousseau treatise: Everyone in this book is uniquely gray in their own way. It’s how they have dealt with their personal demons, how they have lived their life in the orphanage, how they have helped the other orphans, and how they handle the demonic infestation that endangers them all that helps to shine a light on their true natures.

Don’t think the adults are exempt from this same judgment. They have to face the same God, after all.

I was absolutely thrilled by the evil children, because I loves me some evil children. Especially if demons are involved. There’s a good deal of blood, guts, decay, and gore, so that makes me a happy horror fan. The fight scenes are violent and bloody and I’m here for it. It’s super violent and there’s a ton of death. It has an almost cinematic vibe to it, which absolutely thrilled me.

I don’t issue a laundry list of TW/CW, but I am going to say that if you are the type of person to have triggers involving kids, animals, or religion, then I think you might wanna stay away or look for a comprehensive trigger list online.

Otherwise, let the blood fly!

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, ideas, and views expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: 5 Star Review/Gothic Fiction/Historical Fiction/Horror/Occult Fiction/Occult Horror

Boys in the Valley is easily one of my favorite books I've read this year. I'm very surprised by how much I enjoyed this one!

The story unfolds at the turn of the 20th century and takes place at a school for orphaned boys. We're introduced to a handful of boy and different POVs, which I thought would be hard to follow, but the author does a great job of keeping his characters distinct from one another. After getting to know the boys a bit and seeing some of their backstories the action picks up pretty quickly with the arrival of a sheriff, his deputies and a "sick" man. Once the action starts it really doesn't let up - I read the majority of this in one sitting.

Possession stories aren't ones that usually scare me, but I was truly unsettled at moments while reading this. I think in large part that's because the characters were all so young, but there were some very disturbing and gory images throughout. The isolated setting with the threat of an impending snowstorm really added to the grim vibes of the story. I just felt helpless reading it and couldn't see how anyone would make it out of this situation. The ending was mildly heartbreaking, but it really was the perfect one.

Thank you to Tor Nightfire & NetGalley for a review copy. It's safe to say I'm a Fracassi fan now.

Boys in the Valley by Philip Fracassi is a book about people. It’s a book about the good and the bad of us, but also the good and bad in us. It’a book about the concept of good and evil and how there are no clear boundaries. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s a horror novel. I straight horror novel filled with blood, guts, and gore a plenty. But, it is also a book that goes beyond the simple context of a villain versus the protagonist.

In this book, we are taken into the middle of the countryside where a lonely orphanage sits miles away from civilization. It’s the early 1900s. Carts and buggies drawn by horses are still the main way of travel and transportation, so those miles to civilization are even longer, making the orphanage feel even more remote. The setting of this novel immediately gives off eerie vibes and provides a situation where anything could happen. Does murder or death happen if no one is around to witness it?

At this orphanage run by priests, we are introduced to our main character, Peter. Like the other boys at the orphanage, Peter has found his way there through tragedy. Unlike the other boys, however, Peter has an inner struggle. He must decide if wants to live a life of servitude and become a priest or live a life of the flesh. Peter is a well-developed and endearing character. He, along with one other boy, has lived in the orphanage the longest, making them the two oldest boys. This, inturn, pushes them into a parental role with the other children. Peter is especially driven to protect the other boys given his thoughts on priesthood. You can’t help but to root for Peter during the entire novel, from his introduction to the very end.

Much the same can be said of many of the other characters. In fact, not one character in this book is not interesting or well-developed. The other eldest boy, David, struggles with his own inner turmoil. He has survival instincts, but finds himself caring for the boys. He struggles back and forth between helping them and saving himself throughout the entire novel. Just like Peter, it’s really hard not to root for David to make the right decisions.

Then, there are Father Francis, Brother Johnson, Bartholomew, Father Poole, and countless others. The cast of characters in this book is large, but not overwhelming. Each character has their time to shine for better or worse in the book. Some characters make surprising decisions while others do exactly what’s expected of them. It was a nice mix of actions and attitudes. It made it so the reader never really knows what which character will do next.

The pacing of this novel was perfectly blended. It slowed down in places it needed to in order to further character development but sped up in places where the action took place. There was honestly never a dull moment. In fact, the opening of the book sets the bar for how the rest of the novel develops. From the opening chapter, the reader is thrown into the thick of the plot and the grip of the story never lets up.

Wow, blown away! I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did. The writing was phenomenal and I felt so emotionally invested. The ending is heartbreaking.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for this ARC! This was my first read by Fracassi and I really enjoyed this coming of age horror story. Boys In The Valley starts off with a bang and doesn’t let up until the end. The short chapters made reading this book in less than 24 hours a breeze.

I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future!

After seeing Stephen King talk about how much he loved this book on Twitter, and then looking at the incredible early reviews on Goodreads, as a horror reader, I knew I couldn't let this one pass me by!

Typically, I am not a fan of coming-of-age tales. I find that authors often really dumb down their young characters in an attempt to make them seem truly childlike, completely dismissing that children and young people have just as rich inner lives and worlds as adults. Fracassi really leaned into creating these fully formed characters who, regardless of their age, brought so much richness to their perspectives.

I really enjoyed this book, it creeped me out, and I was often updating my husband throughout my read through of the crazy things that were happening (much to his dismay). I cannot wait for more people to read this once it's released into the world tomorrow.

Cheers!

Occultism. Demons. A remote orphanage The threat of a winter storm. About thirty boys of various ages under 16. These are the main elements that make up Phillip Fracassi's engaging new book, Boys in the Valley.

Near Chester, PA there is an all boy orphanage, St. Vincent's, run by three priests with support from lawbreakers working out their terms of punishment through service. As we meet them, the boys are going through their regular day-to-day life, eating minimal meals, completing choirs around the building, and working the last harvest before the expected snow. It is not a comfortable life, and while not always cruel, it is a harsh place with little care for the emotional lives and troubles of the children. As there are among children, there are groups, friends and loners that sometimes squabble, but are kept in line by severe discipline such as beatings, whippings or in extreme cases time in "the hole."

The book is divided into four parts that demonstrate a well paced ratcheting of tensions with a truly chaotic pay off. The regular experience of the Orphanage is disrupted when the local sheriff arrives seeking medical assistance for a terribly wounded man captured while they were investigating the disappearance of a 3 year old. This diabolic figure enters, covered with occult symbols, but what does he bring with him?

Events are described from multiple perspectives, but the most common are: Peter one of the eldest boys who is in training to become a priest; Andrew one of the younger priests who tries to lessen the draconian rule of the head priest Poole; and Brother Johnson the Orphanage heavy a former convict working towards his redemption in the afterlife. While this allows for a well rounded view of events as they occur, it takes away a sense of mystery, we always have a good idea of what has happened and who knows about it.

It is a work about the strength of faith in the face of challenge. It also is centered on coming of age and choosing your path. The catholic faith plays an important part in the narrative, particularly as it takes place in an orphanage controlled by priests. Peter is close to ageing out of the orphanage and is trying to decide on pursuing love or becoming a priest, he knows he cannot do both. What does one do in the face of demons?

I found the narrative to be compelling and captured my attention fully, wanting to know how it would all end. The book follows a standard horror formula. It starts with a teaser of an opening, sets the stage, raises tensions, there is a key chaotic events, character seek survival, a showdown and resolution. Fracassi writes this very well, and when one is immersed it flows well with many short chapters.

However, the book blurb and read alikes don't match up. Their isn't much of a sickness that spreads, I was expecting more body horror, less evil spirits. As to the Lord of the Flies comparison, the boys still have adult or adult like figures throughout the book. They're not creating their own society, more so it is the tale of a rebellion within an authoritarian institution.

If you like horror, you'll probably like this, especially if you enjoy or are compelled by stories of demon possession. Its a well crafted story, but I'm not sure of its staying power as after the key scene of chaos, some things occur just to be shocking. At least it strays from "humans are the real monsters."

Philip Fracassi brings a tale of disturbing and macabre terror set in turn-of-the-century Pennsylvania. A rural region isolated from any population hub, St. Vincent’s is a boys’ orphanage and the home of Peter Barlow. An orphan approaching adulthood, Peter maintains a strong bond with other boys around him…until the day an ancient evil infects the boys of the valley and leads to chaos and devastation.

Fracassi’s writing is excellent. The prose is well constructed and he delves deep into his characters to present them as sympathetic and intriguing. He keeps the plot moving along and the book maintains a steady pace once the action ramps up. As a horror writer, Fracassi is almost beyond compare. Boys in the Valley is terrifying when Peter witnesses the children around him begin to behave strangely and eventually murderously. The twisted allure of innocent children turned to evil and becoming nigh-unstoppable killing machines in an avenue with no escape is pulled off terrifically.

Fracassi ties the horror in well with themes of manhood and growth. Though Peter has built a home in the orphanage, Fracassi does not shy away from the harshness and the lack of nurturing care that allows the evil to grow.

If the book has a flaw, it would be it sometimes feels like its plot and concept don’t have much time to breathe. The ‘evil,’ as represented through lead boy Bartholomew, is given little chance to be a character in and of itself, which can be problematic when so much focuses on Bartholomew’s grim proclamations and ultimatums. The promise of insidious menace is fulfilled, but more suspense might have served the book well.

Fracassi also makes no secret of his disdain for the brutal and corrupt structure of the Catholic Church, which makes the adherence to Christian cosmology by the end somewhat puzzling. Still, these are minor flaws of what is really an exemplary piece of horror fiction. Boys in the Valley is Fracassi shining with a concept and execution that hits like a knife through the guts.

Ahoy there me mateys!  This begins in 1898 in rural Pennsylvania and gives the gripping tale of how Peter loses his parents.  Then it jumps to 1905 where Peter is living at St. Vincent’s Orphanage.  The orphanage is in a secluded valley and is run by harsh priests.  Punishments and starvation conditions abound.  Life is no real joy but Peter is almost grown and trying to determine whether he should stay to be a priest or leave.  He has hope, despite the circumstances, and cares immensely for the other boys.

The plot begins as straight historical fiction showcasing orphanage life, the coming winter, and the various relationships of the boys.  Then one night the local law enforcement bring a sick man for treatment.  Soon after, the boys start acting out of character and violence begins to take hold.  What exactly is going on and will anyone make it out alive?

The book is told from multiple points of view even though Peter is the overall focus.  Father Andrew is the friendliest priest who cares for the kids but won't stand up to the mean head priest, Father Poole.  Johnson is a man serving a life work sentence at the orphanage in exchange for being kept out of prison.  He is nasty and complicated and has a rather horrible perspective.  David is another orphan whose complicated relationship with Peter is part of the undercurrent of how the events unfold.

The supernatural elements of this book were creepy, violent, and often gross.  That said, the book was engrossing and I read it in one sitting.  The blend of historical fiction and horror was extremely well done.  I found Peter to be an excellent character to cheer for even if there wasn't much happiness in the book.  The ending surprised me a bit in how much of a downer it was even if it felt truthful to the book's nature.  The treatment of the orphans was extremely hard to read about and the adults did not end up being sympathetic.  I recommend this book to those who like their horror and can handle harsh themes.  Arrr!

This was a great story. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters, and the setting (both location and time) was excellent. The story moved very quickly with short chapters, making you want to move on the next to see what happens. I highly recommend you read this book, and continue reading everything Philip Fracassi writes.

Boys in the Valley is a coming-of-age horror novel set in 1905 at St. Vincent’s orphanage. Fracassi writes a moving, yet horrifying tale with economy and written in an interesting multiple-POV narrative style that, for the most part, never gets bogged down or confusing. Several of the characters go through character arcs here and there is a lot of great character work being done here while also moving the plot along. Fracassi builds dread well and he writes some beautiful prose. I cannot include any quotes or passages in my review, however let me say there are some great passages and some good punchy one-liners that get you emotionally. This was my first time reading a book by Fracassi and it won’t be my last. I highly recommend reading Boys in the Valley. Thanks to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for the electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When this book opened and said it was in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, I said to myself "perfect place for a horror story tbh", and then when there's talk about Chester, I knew Satan had to be involved. (I am... mostly kidding?) Anyway, it's a brutal winter in 1905, and something is amiss at St. Vincent's orphanage. I mean, something more amiss than a bunch of boys and priests living in isolation (too soon? 🤷🏻‍♀️).

Peter is a great main character, because the reader absolutely feels sympathy for him from the start. He seems very relatable, with a good head on his shoulders, especially considering the trauma he has endured. And he is quite protective over the younger kids, which of course makes him even more likable. The priests also seem to like him, only partly because they want him to become a priest himself. My point is, dude has a lot of influence here. Which is good when the shit hits the fan.

Anyway, after some evil literally shows up at their doorstep one night, kids begin to... lose it. Seemingly decent kids (and some less decent too) start to do some very out of character things, including hurting each other. And that is where things start to get extra messy. And Peter has to make some very tough decisions if he wants to get himself and everyone else out of there alive.

It gets pretty gory at parts, but the story is still quite compelling. There are a lot of names to keep track of, but if you don't it's okay too. I will say, I didn't love how the story wrapped up, but I assume that plenty of people will see the wisdom in it, so there's that. Overall, the story definitely kept me on the edge of my seat, and I liked the characters enough to care about what happened to them and feel compelled by their story.

Bottom Line: It was wonderfully creepy, and a great example of why you should just steer clear of SEPA (heh moderately joking again).