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I'm obviously not going to reveal the twist to this one but it's weird that this is this is the second book of it's kind, with the same kind of twist, I've read in the last few months. The difference, though, was the added layer of fraught inter-personal dynamics and the slow reveal of a big secret from their past.

And, I mean, it wasn't that big of a reveal. Armstrong laid some pretty heavy clues as to one of the elements that went down but the other? Yeah, that took me by surprise.

All that to say, if you are looking for a locked-room style mystery with that sense of foreboding claustrophobia, this is the book for you. You may also never want to visit a remote island or, like, camp ever again. Nature gets nasty in this one and really shows her teeth. Just more reason to never leave the house!

Trapped on this remote island is an unlikely group. Laney, her niece, her ex-husband and his sister, her sorta ex-bestie and said ex-bestie's brother. And when I say this is an unbalanced mix, hoo boy. None of them are particularly all that developed because the tension around their history, their secrets, is what drives the dynamic. And for this kind of story I guess that's all you really need. Plus, I mean, not all of them survive so why waste the word count! I can't say I'm mad about who bit the dust, it feels rather deserved (one especially deserved much worse because they were a garbage creature in human form), but the reveal of the why it was all going down, and the resolution? Interesting choices, I guess. Moreso the latter bit. The other does kind of.. beg you to suspend disbelief but hey if you can do that, you might really enjoy the ride.

For me there was just.. something that didn't quite grab me. And maybe it just ties into the fact that I may be on the outs with what has to be my most-read author. I think we've grown apart. But the spooky bits were spooky, and rather gory (be warned), and if you want to curl up and get into the spoopy season vibe, you could probably pick a worse book than this one. But sadly I don't think it'll be all that memorable for me and it does not stand out. But it passed the time.

2.5 stars

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Ohhhh this was fun. Hemlock Island was just what I needed, and just in time for late August when the beginning of the fall spirit starts to hit me as we get closer to fall and Halloween. This is the perfect autumnal read and would hit perfectly when the weather actually starts getting chilly and the leaves start to fall. While it doesn’t have the small town setting essential for cozy autumn reads, the creepy vibe is still great for cozying up with a pumpkin spice latte and a couple hours of reading.

As soon as they announced that Hemlock House was on an island with zero wifi, phone service, or connectivity, I knew exactly how this was gonna go. Apparently that is the appeal for people who would rent the place for a vacation home, but I can’t see how that would be even remotely appealing. Wanting to unplug is one thing, but being completely cut off and not having the ability to call for help is another. A nightmare waiting to happen and I was zero percent surprised it ended up being a house of horror because it’s way more likely for someone to terrorize you if they know you literally can’t get help.

The start of the book very much gives off murder mystery thriller vibes (which I do enjoy but the genre has become a bit stale and overdone to me) so I was happy to find that this actually is a paranormal story rather than a standard whodunnit thriller like it first appears to be. Adding paranormal elements made this much more interesting to read. I was kind of mehhh about this book until I got to the 80% mark and WOW THE ENDING WAS SO GOOD. The last 20% especially was a wild ride and so much fun. I recommend this for the ending alone.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin Press for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

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A vacation home on an island in the middle of Lake Superior sounds like a dream. The perfect place of rest, relaxation, and spending time with loved ones. But what happens when your dream place becomes a nightmare?

Laney Kilpatrick's ex-husband gave her Hemlock Island and the home they built there during their divorce. Laney loves being there but the upkeep is expensive and when she is not writing, she is a teacher. Wanting to keep the property, she takes on renters. One night she gets an upsetting phone call from her latest renters who have found blood and fingernail scratches in a closet in the home.

Laney and her sixteen-year-old niece, Madison come to investigate but they are not the only ones. Her ex-husband Kit and his sister Jayla are there plus her former school friend Sadie and her cop brother Garrett.

There is tension galore as this is not a happy reunion for all of them. Plus, there are secrets amongst the members of the group. One of them will take off leaving the rest stranded on the island. As they settle in a gruesome discovery is made. It will be the catalyst for more gruesome discoveries which are traumatic, shocking, and horrific.

This book has a creepy and tense vibe throughout. I love the trapped feeling in this book. No one can get off the island and the danger increased by the second. Plus, the dark skies and incoming storm provide atmosphere and add to the chilling and creepy feel of the book.

Kelley Armstrong likes to incorporate the supernatural into her books. I enjoy this touch and it makes for an interesting element. Having said that, things got a little OTT in the end. I loved everything about the book until the last 15% of it. Things do get summed up, but I wanted to tell two of the characters (Laney & Kit) to communicate, why didn't you communicate? That was my mantra while reading this. Plus, I also said "Grow up already" about one of the characters. What does it say when the sixteen-year-old in the group is more mature at times than the adults.

Other than my minor issues with the book, I enjoyed this and found it to be a fast read. Kelley Armstrong is one of my go-to authors, and I look forward to what she writes next.

Atmospheric, chilling, dark, creepy, and fast paced.

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I love this type of book - a book that really should be a movie. It was fun to read and I was able to visualize easily the action and characters. I mean I was there. How cool is that?

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Laney has been renting out her home on a private island as a vacation retreat for those who want to unplug. But when renters start reporting seeing blood and strange happenings, Laney is forced to visit the island. So with her niece, ex-husband, best friend and two other friends, who also show up, they set out to discover what is really happening on the island. Leaning more to horror, than mystery, Hemlock Island becomes a suspenseful murder island with plenty of twists. Thank you Netgalley and Publisher, St. Martin’s Group for an early copy. This review is my honest opinion.

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6 / 10 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2023/09/05/hemlock-island-by-kelley-armstrong-review/

At its heart, Hemlock Island is a mystery or supernatural thriller masquerading as horror. The creepiness is upstaged by the squabbling, the mystery, the romance for so long that when it finally takes center stage it fails to capture the imagination, the attention it desires. Now, it’s not a bad mystery or thriller, but in trying to cover too many genres, the plot somewhat fails to do any of them too well.

The first (and arguably biggest plot-hole) is Sadie. If I dropped in on one of my childhood friends (someone I really never talk to anymore) and offered to help with that one big problem that they had that I should in no way know about—there would be some questions. That’s what Sadie does here. She and her brother just show up, “to help” after being estranged for many years—and no one bats an eye. It’s not explained any further, nor even questioned afterwards, and it bugged the heck out of me.

One of the more disappointing aspects I discovered was the divorce (and/or romance). See, I generally disparage add-on romances in fiction, but this one—a pandemic-fueled divorce—is quite essential to the plot. Or it would be if it made any sense. Now, how to explain this without spoilers?

Obviously we can’t get into the actual plot, but I’ll give you the crux of it. The pandemic was taxing on so many relationships because it forced people to confront how little they understood their partner, how little they actually had in common, or how far apart they’d grown without noticing. Now I realize this is an oversimplification, but bear with me. That’s not the issue in Hemlock Island. Instead it’s… they didn’t talk about it. That’s it. And to have that presented as a pandemic-fueled divorce seems like a lie, not to mention a tremendous disappointment.

Don’t get me wrong—this was an interesting read. Immersive, if not captivating, fast-paced and thrilling, mysterious in most good ways. The plot of Hemlock Island is… sufficient. In that I mean it’s immersive enough when you’re reading it, but don’t expect to ruminate over its complexities upon completion. It’s more the kind that you’ll forget the story within days of its passing. But that’s okay. Grab this for a long commute, a layover, a travel-day. It’s not going to blow you away—but should be sufficient to entertain (and even thrill) no matter how many distractions you have to put up with.

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This book was fabulous. I am a longtime fan of Kelley's - I discovered her through her Rockton series - and I expected no less for this book. I was not disappointed - I absolutely loved it! Our characters were brought to an isolated, haunted island in Lake Superior, and hijinks ensued. I don't want to give you details in case I spoil anything, but MAN was it a ride! 4 stars.

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When your favourite author switches genres yet again after already mastering all of the others that she decides to try out you jump on the bandwagon right away and dive deep into a type of book that you don't normally read. I was so excited to get approved for this book and while horror books are not usually my go to I really enjoyed this one. This book had everything I've come to expect from Kelly Armstrong's work. It had very intense and fascinating characters all a strong personalities and backstories and if that isn't enough to make you love her work the plot lines are impeccable! They start off with just enough information to get you hooked on what is going to happen and every plot point from then on pulls you deeper into the characters lives that you can't wait to see how they're going to end up. With this being her first actual horror novel I knew that I shouldn't expect anything less than greatness and I wasn't disappointed. This block gave the perfect sense of fear that a great horror movie gives the audience. The book is all about our main character Laney look it's a call from a person renting her cottage. The next day she goes herself to check out the complaint and that is when the story really takes off. Is this just a prank from some locals trying to scare her off or is something more sinister taking place here? That is what Laney is determined to find out. This book was much darker than I was expecting however because of that it made for the perfect horror novel. I also loved how even though it was very dark it wasn't overkill on gory descriptions you were given just enough to understand what was going on without glorifying the crimes. This was the kind of book that makes you clear your entire schedule because you have to know how it is going to end. Great read and I'm so glad I was given the opportunity to check it out. This is one book that I can't wait to see hit the shelves because I can't wait to read it again and again. The only part I was a little disappointed in was the ending it just wasn't quite my favorite.

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Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong. All opinions are my own.

Our main character Laney must go to the home and island that her ex-husband gave her in their divorce to check on suspicious activities that is scaring her Airbnb guests. Activities in the neighborhood of the occult that may or may not be pranks. When she arrives with her niece Madison in toe, she finds several of her childhood friends and her ex-husband have come to help. As always in these types of circumstances all the friends come with secrets from the past and baggage. By baggage we are not referring to luggage.

I remember reading Armstrong's Otherworld and Carnesville Series back in the day and enjoyed them, but Hemlock Island is truly in the horror genre. Literally from the first chapter on I was engaged. Also kept me guessing till 75 - 80 percent in to guess what was causing everything to happen. If this was her first leap into the horror genre, she did a bang-up job. Setting was atmospheric and creepy. Characters were believable and enjoyed how the author took her time giving the reader the backstories of all the childhood friends and how that related to Laney. There was just enough body gore to keep it entertaining, but not going overboard. Loved the ending as well. I recommend this to any horror readers for sure, but I also believe it might be a good starter book into horror as well for those wishing to dip their toes into the genre. Hemlock Island will be available next month, September 12, 2023. Happy Reading.

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Laney Kilpatrick has a dream vacation home on Hemlock Island that she got to keep in the divorce. However, in order to afford it she has to rent out her vacation home to strangers which she hates doing. When a renter flees the home and island in the middle of the night calling her to tell her they found blood and other things in the house Laney has no choice but to refund their money and go check it out. She decides she’s going to bring along her teenager niece who she’s the guardian so she doesn’t have to be left alone. When they get to the boat they are greeted by her ex husband and three other people who all intend to help her face the problem. When they get to the island to discover bloody handprints and hexes things take a turn for the worse quite quickly.

Hemlock Island was a fast binge worthy novel that reads like a horror movie and I’m here for it. From the creepy dead hand to the hexes to the not so dead people and everything in between this book packs a terrifying punch. I loved this one and read it pretty quickly. It’s a perfect read for the upcoming spooky season.

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his spooky, atmospheric book made me forget that it is only August - bring on October! Laney has managed to hold on to one thing from her divorce from millionaire nice-guy Kit: a private island with a stunning home, where she can escape with her niece, Madison, to rest and to write. But to make ends meet, she’s forced to rent it out for most of the year, and the renters leave destruction and trash in their wake. When one couple flees the island after insisting that they saw blood and claw marks on the inside of a bedroom closet, Laney knows she and Madison have to make the trip to Hemlock Island herself to investigate - or, at least, to clean up whatever mess the renters have left for her this time. Kit shows up with his sister Jayla, and they’re followed by another former friend, Sadie, and her brother, making for an uncomfortable reunion on the island. As the island reveals signs that increasingly impossible to ignore - or understand - long-kept secrets and regrets are shared, and no one will leave the island unchanged.

This is the first thing I’ve written by Kelly Armstrong, but it will not be the last. This book was genuinely creepy, with characters I was rooting for, and I raced to the last page.

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The characters in this book were all obnoxious and the writing was repetitive. It mentioned the pandemic way too much, it kept talking about the main character's and her ex husband's divorce. And they kept mentioning something that happened but would never give any details. The character kept acting like they were detectives and kept making stupid decisions. They especially were acting the main character was a detective just because she wrote murder mysteries. One of the characters was actually a detective, but he was new to the job and an idiot.

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I was introduced to Kelley Armstrong through her Otherworld series (which I love!), and then went on to read her Cainsville and Nadia Stafford series, both of which I really enjoyed too. So I was excited to see what her turn into straight up horror would be like, and it was okay….

Hemlock Island took a bit for me to get going, I would say I was about half-way into the book before I really got intrigued. While it wasn’t a slog to get there because Armstrong was putting together the back story and letting us get to know the characters (some who were well written, others, a bit more one dimensional), it also didn’t make me want to not put the book down. This one should have taken me a day, two, tops, to read, but it was closer to five days just because I wasn’t drawn back to it.

Armstrong had the thriller part of the story down, which isn’t surprising since that, and suspense, is her usual genre. It was a ride with the characters going all over the island, finding one crazy thing after another. I was really enjoying it and thought it would be heading in a certain direction. And then it took a turn….

I really enjoy watching and reading about the supernatural, so while the turn was interesting, it also felt weird. I can appreciate where she was going, and the ultimate conclusion for the main character was good, it just felt like the horror aspect didn’t meld that great with the rest of the book.

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An entertaining read that flits back and forth between thriller and horror about a group of people unexpectedly trapped on an island in the middle of the Great Lakes. This book went in a direction that I didn’t expect, but it still kept me hooked. I do think that some of the many subplots didn’t need to be in the story - it gave it a bit of a young adult feel. Thanks to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book!

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2.5 stars, rounded up. I will always give anything Armstrong writes a try, despite her being hit-or-miss for me. Honestly, I think maybe she's trying to put out too many books a year. I admire her efforts to expand the genres she writes in, and this is (I believe) her first horror novel. It's not a long book, just 300 pages, and there's a bit too much packed into the story for my tastes. Lots of characters, lots of past history, lots of secrets revealed, all while a group of people are stranded on a remote island in Lake Superior with a murderer on the loose. The story gets pretty gruesome, and Armstrong does a great job of building the tension and ramping up the spookiness, but all the tangled relationships and betrayals and communication issues gave a cluttered feel to the plot, and it also meant the characters felt very one-dimensional. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital review copy.

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A great summer-fall bridge book, this story takes place on a private island as creepy things keep unfolding over the course of a couple days. The island setting makes it great for summer/early fall, while the creepy horror content makes it very fall-like as well. Definitely a lot of gore throughout, but if that doesn't bother you, then go for it!

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Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange for an honest review .

This book had literally had my heart pounding. It was very thrilling, and terrifying. I loved it!

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Summary:
Laney has been renting out her vacation home to strangers. Though it makes her feel uneasy it’s the only way to keep her Hemlock Island. It’s all she has after her divorce. There are secrets, whispers in the woods, strange things happening seemingly ritualistic leaving renters terrified.

#read #readmore #bookstagram #readersofinstagram #netgalley #netgalleyreviewer #stmartinspress #hemlockisland #horror #thriller #suspense #bookworms #tbr #5star

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This horror novel takes place on an island in Lake Superior. When Laney Kilpatrick's marriage blew up during the pandemic, she was awarded the island home she and her husband had built. However, as a high school English teacher, Laney needed to rent out the home and island in order to make ends meet.

When her tenants cause problems, she regrets her choice, but renting is her only option. None of the offers to purchase the retreat have been tempting since she loves the island. But then the strange things start of happen. A hex circle or two and eerie wind chimes are the start. Blood and claw marks inside a closet are the end for the latest renters.

Laney and her niece travel to the island to find out what is going on. She doesn't know that her ex-husband and his sister who is her ex-best friend are also coming because they heard about the problems. And she certainly isn't expecting another ex-friend and her police officer brother to join them.

The tensions between all the adults are palpable. It seems everyone is keeping secrets that gradually get shared as the group deals with find a dead body or two and having the boats that would let them leave the island sabotaged. And then a storm comes...

The story was entertaining and not too horribly scary. I liked Laney even though she was sort of a doormat who isn't willing to fight for what she wants out of life.

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Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for gifting me with an early copy of this novel. Below you'll find my honest review.

Kelley Armstrong is one of my immediate go-tos when it comes to books. Pretty much everything she writes is a resounding YES from me, and Hemlock Island is no different.

Kelley's first foray into full-length horror (she has a history of horror shorts in anthologies) is gripping and tense, dark and atmospheric, with a pace that will drive you to keep on reading late into the night.

While I must add some content warnings here (sexual assault, gore, murder, self-harm), the book is a typical horror in that it doesn't shy away from tough subjects, and in King-esque fashion, really builds on the history of who these characters are, deep inside, to push the story forward.

I did feel a little unsatisfied with certain aspects of the ending, so it was a four star read for me, but if you're a fan of horror, Kelley Armstrong, or well-developed characters in an absolutely perfect setting, then this one is for you. Definitely recommended.

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A private island. An author. Some creepy things. What more could you ask for?

Hemlock Island is a perfect pick for a read for spooky season. It will give you chills and increase your anxiety, especially if you're reading in the dark before bed.

I was about 80% through the book and had NO IDEA how it was going to turn out.

I give Hemlock Island 4/5 stars.

I got this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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