Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book..

I was so excited to get this Kelley Armstrong book early. She's one of my favorite authors. Unfortunately, it was not as enjoyable as most of her novels. I struggled to get into this one and I'm not sure why.

This started out strong and I was pretty into it. The book synopsis grabbed me. I’m in the minority here though because what started as a solid 4 read, ended as “what did I just read?” I wasn’t feeling the paranormal, nor would I call this horror. But what really got me was the anticlimactic ending. I appreciate the ARC, but this one was just too unbelievable for me..

Though not a big fan of horror, I found this to be a good story with plenty of suspense. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

2 stars

In theory, this book really should have worked for me. In practice? I struggled.

Laney, the m.c., makes rental income from her home on Hemlock Island. There are many strange occurrences there, and finally she heads over to check out the most recent one for herself. She, of course, brings along a truly strange group of people from her past and present including her niece, her ex-husband, her long-time friend, and others. What ensues is... odd.

There are a lot of gross out scenes here that include body horror, and there is also so much confusion. Readers don't know if they're dealing with an unreliable narrator or if the actual happenings are really as bizarre as presented, but they will certainly go on a winding ride to find out the answers. Is this all the result of an overactive imagination? Greedy interlopers? Supernatural forces? What?! By the time the results arrived, I was more relieved to be leaving these characters than interested in finding out what I had been reading.

The most unsettling part is not even what's going on outside; it's the utterly bizarre relationships between the characters. Most of them involve spoilers, which I dislike, so I'll just add that there are certain things that can happen between people that make it okay and actually ideal for them to break contact permanently. Some of these characters need to learn that lesson. There's one related reveal that I could not get behind at all. Additionally, some of the other relationships, including ones that should seem stable or at least grounded in a stronger foundation, are built on questionable circumstances, to say the least.

And the end...are we in Aiaia now...?

I am on a real thriller kick with my summer reading and couldn't wait to dive right into this one, but wow, there was a lot that didn't work for me at all. I am curious to see what else this writer can do.

After divorce, Laney is left with a vacation home on Hemlock Island. Well, she actually owns the entire island. In order to keep it, Laney is forced to rent it out. Since renting, the property was the centre of some creepy occurrences. Laney finally has to show up to investigate when a couple flees the property after finding blood and nail markings in a closet.

Laney shows up at Hemlock Island with her niece, Madison, ex-husband, Kit, former-BFF and sister-in-law, Jayla, as well as Sadie and Garrett, who are siblings. Sadie was a former high school friend of Laney's and Garrett is now a cop. The group explores the island, determined to figure out what is going on. While searching the island, the group stumbles across a hand reaching out from the earth. They later find the remainder of the body. After all of this, the group decides it is time to leave the island - things are just getting way too creepy! However, they quickly find out that all the boats have been destroyed. They have no way of getting off the island. Is someone trapping them on the island? Or is a more sinister force at play?

Wow, what a great horror book! Armstrong nailed the creepy elements while also telling a cohesive and intriguing story. I was completely wrapped up in the plot and needed to find out what would happen to all the characters. I would say this book is part mystery and part horror. The horror elements definitely picked up as the story went on. The only reason I subtracted a star was due to the ending. The ending was not bad, but I was not blown away. The rest of the book makes up for it, though.

This is a perfect read for spooky season!

Thank you St. Martin's Press, Kelley Armstrong, and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Set on an island in Lake Superior, Hemlock Island is a supernatural thriller that throws together murder mystery, greed, betrayal, revenge, and the occult into a delicious and perfectly baked hotdish perfect for anyone who loves a good horror novel. It felt very much in the same vein as Riley Sager and Grady Hendrix’s novels – big fan! Strained relationships and betrayal star alongside severed arms, hex circles, and bone windchimes, creating an atmospheric survival horror that really makes you wonder if they’re ever going to get off of that island.
Being from the Duluth area, Lake Superior has always been prominently featured in my life and memories. It made it that much easier to imagine a secluded island with a single isolated house surrounded by the cold waters of the largest of the Great Lakes, and to know exactly how cold that water can be. The smells and atmosphere are honestly unmatched, and I would love to read more stories that feature the setting.
The twists and turns in this story were great. The mystery kept me turning page after page, absorbing each gory and mysterious detail. The mystery was kept largely mysterious, the gore was properly gory, and the is-it-or-is-it-not-a-murderer was like a constant pull. It felt like I was in a macabre Edgar Allen Poe story of a girl who is slowly pulling a bucket out of a dark well, overtaken by some force with an unknowable name that has existed since time immemorial. The conclusion was also extremely satisfying, with equal parts “that checks” and “holy shit” which you don’t always get with stories like this. I’m not going to say I found it fair, but life rarely is and the perfection of horror like this is that it is tied up, even if the bow isn’t the prettiest. The satisfaction is that it’s there, fair, and was a bloody good time.
Overall, Hemlock Island is a great read and Kelley Armstrong is an author you need to have on your watch list if you don’t already. I was a fan of her YA back in the day, but I’m so ready for more adult horror!
Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy in exchange for this review. I really loved it and can’t wait to see what Armstrong has for us next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this ARC.

Kelley Armstrong is a favourite author of mine. I've binged all of her Rockton series, and just recently started on A Rip Through Time, so when I had the chance to read this ARC, I was quite excited. This seems to be her first foray into horror (though she dabbles in many different genres), and I'll say that for a first go, it was thoroughly enjoyable.

The story is supernatural; while this isn't typically my favourite plot, I actually liked the way this was written. It wasn't just some ghost, some lost spirit; it was nature. The book had a good lesson around respecting our lands, ancestors, and the world on which we live - even if it was delivered in a very wild way. The creepy vibes were great, I frequently felt on edge, and when I was reading in bed last night I actually though "I might have nightmares", which is never a concern for me.

For anyone who loves horror, supernatural elements, and a fast paced, exciting plot - this is for you.

I had been hearing about the positive feedback for this book through my Facebook book groups and was so excited to get early access to this book with it's creepy vibes. This was a fast, entertaining book that I really enjoyed and couldn't put down because I really wanted to know what happened next especially with all the twists and turns. I really enjoyed that this story was not predictable and kept me on my toes as I wondered what would happen next.

I'm a huge Kelley Armstrong fan and was THRILLED to get early access to this creepy, tense, atmospheric story. The dynamics between the people on the island are interesting and the setting is vivid enough to count as a character all on its own.
The body horror is scary without being too over the top, and the pacing is very well done. I read most of this in one sitting because things kept rolling along so quickly.
This was a fast, entertaining read, perfect for taking to the cottage in the fall and devouring while tucked up by the fire.

What a great book! I went from wondering who would do something to what in the world just happened! It had just the right amount of spook to make me nervous at night, but not enough to give me nightmares. I really fell in love with Laney and Madison and felt as though I knew them in real life.

3.5 stars rounded up - SLIGHT SPOILERS BELOW

Our main character, Laney, is renting out her vacation home to bring in extra money. She hates renting out her last escape, but she needs the money as she's taken in her niece after her sister's death, and her recent divorce has left her down and out.

When pranks start happening, she heads to the island home to investigate, along with her niece. Her ex shows up, along with his sister, and her former friend and her brother show up as well. Tensions rise as they start to realize that these aren't pranks after all.

This was a fast-paced horror thriller, and while I enjoyed the mystery and the big reveal, I thought the characters and atmosphere could be a bit better. The writing was great and kept you wondering what would happen next, but I wasn't happy with our characters. I found Laney to be too timid, Kit too perfect, and Sadie and Garrett too one-dimensional. The atmosphere on the island could have used more creepiness in my opinion, and the big reveal seemed slightly out of place. The beginning of the story wasn't frightening enough even though they dealt with the hex circles, blood smears, etc. This read more as a thriller than horror, and I would've liked more horror. The interpersonal subplot was unexpected, and I find it hard to believe that any of them could give a crap about Garrett after what he did.

Overall this is a fun thriller with lots of twists and turns.

Lainey and Kit along with some family members and close friends stumble into a speculative "Death Trap" situation that peels back the layers of their hearts' desires and their relationships. Connected events lead to dire consequences and hard choices in this super creepy read with a conclusion that lingers in readers thoughts.

I requested a digital copy in order to sample the prose on my phone (since I don't have a eReader) before requesting a physical copy for review. My review will be based on the physical ARC I read (if I qualify)

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-arc of this novel. Publication date: Sept. 12, 2023

Laney Kilpatrick has been renting her vacation home to strangers. The invasion of privacy gives her panic attacks, but it’s the only way she can keep her beloved Hemlock Island, the only thing she owns after a pandemic-fueled divorce. But broken belongings and campfires that nearly burn down the house have escalated to bloody bones, hex circles, and now, terrified renters who've fled after finding blood and nail marks all over the guest room closet, as though someone tried to claw their way out...and failed.

This book was an all around fun horror read. It hooks you from page 1. Its a perfect fall read ~ twisty, occultish, paranormal, a little bit gory. A definite 5 star read.

First things first, if you don’t enjoy books with a supernatural element, this one isn’t for you. No judgment, just trying to help let you know in advance.

Trigger warnings- Rape, body gore

Hemlock Island sits on Lake Superior of the Great Lakes. It has history and it has mysteries. When Laney becomes its owner, she builds a new modern home in which she rents out AirBnb-style since circumstances have put her in a pinch for the extra cash to maintain the island. When her guests start reporting weird sightings-bloody closets with claw marks, hex circles, and wind chimes made of bones-she heads out there to check it out. Friends from her complex past end up meeting her out there. Laney herself, her ex-husband corporate CEO, her estranged lawyer best friend, a detective and his sister all take over investigating the island when they discover a severed hand in the lawn.

This becomes a convoluted whodunnit when these old friends become trapped, and their only way out is just to survive and figure out the island’s secret.

The author, Kelley Armstrong, does an amazing job at setting a brisk pace right from the start. The characters are written beautifully and their secrets will blindside you.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and give it 4 stars! Will recommend to others, and while it has a great ending, I wasn’t necessarily mind blown.

A great thank you goes out to Kelley Simon, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge Kelley Armstrong fan. So when I received the ARC of Hemlock Island I couldn't wait to start reading. Once I started reading I couldn't wait to finish. This is a very difficult book to read. And until you do read it, you won't understand why I say timing is important. There are certain times when I could read the book and other times when I just had to put it down and walk away. Now my experience with Kelley Armstrong are her Rockton series and her Stitch in Time series. So I was kind of expecting that same storyline. That is not what I got! To not give away any spoilers I'm going to keep my review very generic. Let's just say the line "on a dark and stormy night" is accurate for this book. If you are a fan of Black magic and all the scary and horrifying things that go with it you will like the book. I did not like the book. I did not like the ending and I did not like the characters. Not because it is not well written. It's Kelley Armstrong. Of course it's well written! And that is one reason that I finished the book. She does write in a way that you become so involved in the story that, regardless of the plot, you have to find out what happens. So fair warning given, don't read the book at night and don't read the book when you're alone. I voluntarily received a copy of this book from Netgalley.

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ 2/5 stars

➸ racked with nail-biting twists, hemlock island is a claustrophobic thriller scored by scenes ripped straight out of a nightmare.

➸ following a divorce with her now ex-husband, laney kilpatrick has been begrudgingly renting out her vacation home on hemlock island now that owning said island has become financially untenable on her own. as a result, laney finds herself at the mercy of countless panic attacks as she struggles to deal with this decision of allowing perfect strangers into her most jealously treasured home. not only that, but laney’s still reeling from the death of her sister which brought her teenaged niece to her door and under her care. much to her horror, she's also been having to field complaints from renters who report all manner of horrifying and almost ritualistic tableaus on the island. when laney receives a call from horror-stricken renters who’ve run for the hills after making a gruesome discovery in one of the guest rooms - she decides to head down there herself and investigate. with her niece insisting on sticking at her side, the two of them bump into some strained former friends and laney’s ex-husband kit. veiled in tension and secrets of their own, their motley crew arrive at the isolated island and things quickly take a dark turn from there.

➸ the plot itself is fairly simple - disregarding the many plot twists (the plausibility of which are another issue unto themselves). it’s an eerie atmospheric blend of horror and mystery which draws heavily on the innate ambience of an isolated island and occultist imagery. the relationships are underlined with furtive tension and for the most part appear to be pulled so taut they’re on the precipice of snapping. i'd even go so far as to posit that this fraught tenor percolating through these interpersonal connections contributes more substantive towards the ‘thrill’ of the novel. for while the atmosphere is effectively constructed by way of the ostensibly haunted island setting, there is nothing new or exciting in its presentation. having been inoculated by now to similar storylines, none of this held much interest to me and i zeroed in more so on the character relations.

➸ in saying this, however, the character themselves - beyond their veneers of secrecy and the more titillating plot twists - offered little in the way of depth. their secretive behaviour provided a sort of cosmetic interest to them, which, when the makeup remover of the plot barrelled onwards, revealed them to be rather shallow iterations of typical mystery characters. i’d level this accusation most particularly in laney’s direction as the flighty, anxious novelist who specialises in mystery herself. not only does her vocation do her a disservice in making her seem kind of derivative on the whole, but it also lends her an air of stupidity. for someone who is allegedly well-informed within the realm of what not to do when one finds oneself in the midst of a murder mystery, she seems to pride herself on doing just that. as an aside, i’d also argue against labelling this an adult work as the dialogue and the surface level scope is far more befitting of ya.

➸ conclusion :
taking into account that this is kelley armstrong’s first foray into horror, hemlock island succeeds in what it is - a gripping and compacted unraveling of tightly-spun secrets.

thank you netgalley for the arc !

I have just read Hemlock Island by Author Kelley Armstrong.

This is the first book that I have read by this author.

It really felt like a Young Adult themed book to me, and really missed the mark as to what I enjoy in a book.

I felt like everything was thrown into the storyline, with so much happening, almost like shock value and to me the storyline was quite over the top.

Laney Kilpatrick has a vacation home on a secluded island that was left to her from her husband after their divorce.

She finds that she needs to rent it out to keep up with the costs.

Then the story begins.

It honestly was not my type of venue in a book, however I am sure there will be an audience for it.

Thank You to NetGalley, Author Kelley Armstrong and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy to read and review.

#netgalley #stmartinspress #kelleyarmstrongauthor

Thank you to the publishers, the author and netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fantastic book and I devoured it in one sitting. It also made me really reconsider my wish of being in a remote cottage on a deserted island with nothing but books to fill my time.

I loved how nothing was predictable in the storyline and it kept me on my toes. It was one of those gems that while I was reading it played out like a movie in my head which made for a really fun time!

I recommend this to thriller/horror lovers who enjoy a face paced story with some entertaining twists and turns.

Excellent pacing and believable characters; I loved that the narrative did not rely on substance abuse or trauma to build the tension between characters and that the premise was so realistic