I liked this story. I found it full of regrets and reflections on past behavior. It also analyzes how people often rely on information from others that is flawed or intentionally inaccurate or manipulative. It’s a lesson in making sure others know how you feel. It is also a well laid out horror-supernatural story with twists and turns. I liked it but was a bit disappointed with the ending. I felt like too much was given up and not enough was negotiated. I’m not sure if that was a spoiler so I will mark it as such. Anyway, as usual, I love Kelley Armstrong’s writing and will continue to read whatever she writes. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Kelley Armstrong is a superb write no matter what genre she writes. Hemlock Island was a fun, horrifying suspense that kept me interested throughout the entire read.

Me and my mother love Kelly Armstrong so when I got this copy early I was so excited to read it as fast as I could and I can’t wait for the next one

This is the horror story I've been craving this year. Kelley Armstrong, whom I admire, always manages to win a little more of my affection whenever she explores a new genre. I can easily picture this book as a fantastic movie, and I sincerely hope that becomes a reality someday. Laney Kilpatrick, who maintains her vacation home on a secluded island post-divorce, faces the reality of needing to rent it out to cover the expenses and taxes on her teacher's salary. When multiple tenants report occult-like pranks, Laney decides to visit the island to unravel the mystery. She brings her niece, for whom she's the guardian, and refuses to leave her behind. Upon arrival, her ex-husband and an old friend join the investigation. Their group is further complemented by another friend who had drifted away from Laney and her recently minted detective brother. As they delve deeper into the mysteries of the island, an overwhelming sense of dread and impending doom steadily intensifies. This is a spine-tingling read, perfectly suited for a fall season escape.

This was an odd read, I'm still not quite sure what to make of it.

To start, it's an interesting mystery. Laney owns an island almost entirely cut off from civilization. No internet, cell service and only accessible by boat and/or plane, it feels as isolated as it sounds. People Airbnb it in order to get away from the world and it's the only way that Laney can afford it.

There is a whole cast of characters in play but we do meet them relatively slowly. Their tangled web of ways they are connected is also slowly revealed and it had some shocking twists. But the most surprising revelation was what was actually going on with the island. Laney's guests are finding cult-like paraphernalia on the island and finally, one guest abandons their stay in the middle of the night because of blood found in the actual house. Laney and all of her friends gather to investigate and they are trapped on the island by a huge storm coming in.

The mystery was interesting and the twists kept me on my toes but something held me back from really loving it. I think maybe Laney was just a little too squeaky-clean nice and I think I would have loved a little less forgiveness and a little more anger from her. It was a good read, I just never found myself loving it.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Woah! As a very long time reader of horror and other creepy things, it takes a lot to give me gooseflesh, but Hemlock Island did it, several times! It may not seem like much, but there are very few things that have that effect on me, so this is a high honor! I will definitely be watching (in the least creepy sense) this author for more! Well done!

I should probably start this off by saying that I am a huge fan of Ms. Armstrong. I have always enjoyed her books and am currently reading a couple of different series that she is still in the middle of writing. So, I was thrilled to see the ARC. I actually started it before reading the summary and was a little surprised to see that it was in the Horror genre, but I was looking forward to jumping in.

With all that being said, I'm not sure why, but it didn't work for me. I know that part of the expected experience with horror movies is watching the people walk into the barn with the chainsaws instead of running towards the running car. And yes, I guess maybe that's expected. Is it really though?

Well, it bothered the heck out of me seeing the main characters continually making stupid decisions and STILL deciding to run off into the woods instead of the safer house, even after realizing that something was wrong. It would have been one thing if it happened once, maybe a couple of times, but this happened for most of the book....ugh.

Then there was the HEAVY use of both foreshadowing and then in the same breath, of the dropping of the hints of the "event" that happened in the past. This was without bothering to reveal what the "event" was until the later part of the book. This didn't end up working because after that reveal, I had a hard time believing the relationships and the dynamics between this group of people. It felt off. I think that was the main problem. We are thrown right into the group setting of this group of 6 people on an island without understanding who was who - in terms of the characters. Ms. Armstrong then tried to build suspense by giving clues that all was not well within the group. But it wasn't done in a way that made sense. So when things start going wrong, I had a hard time because I wasn't really invested.

I don't know. As usual, everything would have been so much easier if the characters had just talked to each other. We spend the entire book trying to figure out why the female MC Laney and her ex-husband Kit's marriage fell apart and when the answer is finally revealed I thought, "are you kidding me?" Seriously, it made absolutely NO sense.

The actual scary plot, well it was a bit out there. That would have been okay because it is a horror book but it felt like the book wasn't sure what it wanted to be. Yes, there is the suspense because the characters are seemingly trapped on a deserted island without a way off, so there is that. But then.....well, without going into spoilers, let me just say that there were too many things going on for it to be cohesive. When the 15 or 16 year old girl is the most mature, something is not right.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone.

I always love a good creepy book, but Hemlock Island definitely surpassed creepy into "I can't read this book in the dark or while home alone" kind of scary. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed being scared reading this one and I thought the plot was well done, but this is not one for the faint of heart. It's also quite gory.

The story kept me guessing until the end about what was causing the murders and all the creepy happenings, and I have to say, I wish it was explained a teeny bit more. Perhaps a bit more background, but I just needed a little more clarification. Either way, it was a good twist and I liked the ending of the book. It wrapped up the book well.

A good read for spooky season, or when you're looking for a book that will send chills down your spine.
Thank you, St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the eARC!

Omg what did I just read?! Hemlock Island was not at all what I was expecting but in a totally good way. I will say that this book is Horror, straight up horror and it is creepy and scary and even gory. Just a warning in case you struggle with those things. I definitely do but I was so invested in this book I couldn’t put it down and had to keep going to see what happened. This island, was like a living, breathing character. It came to life in this book. The things going on throughout the story, the lives and decisions of the characters involved were nothing short of terrifying. This was a perfect spooky season read and I am honestly still a little spooked when I think about this one. But it was really good, really terrifying and unputdownable

This was spooky, atmospheric and everything I was looking for. I also listened to the audiobook which I also enjoyed.

First, never buy an island named after a poisonous plant. Secondly, never travel to poisonous island without backup connection to the outside world and weapons.
It was a weird book and events occurred so fast it was hard to keep track.
The ending was jumbled and stretched reality.

This was a perfect Halloween read, filled with creepy, unexplainable events that keep you guessing until the very end. The character development was fantastic. I grew to love Laney and those closest to her as we learned the secrets from their past and hoped for their future.

Book that is difficult to sum up. Just when you think it's a murder mystery it takes a weird turn into the supernatural. The bisexual plot device seems a bit contrived and doesn't further the story.

I picked this one up without reading the blurb and unfortunately it didn't quite work for me. I had difficulty connecting to the supernatural element and felt the characters weren't developed fully. As other reviewers have mentioned, there is a very obvious message the author is portraying within the story. While this wasn't my cup of tea, this would be good for fans of horror who are looking for a quick read with some gore.

Hemlock Island is Kelley Armstrong’s first horror novel. I have seen some not great reviews but I liked it. It’s quite a page turner filled with a mystery I did not figure out ahead of time and some very creepy moments with fully realized characters. Does the main character do some stuff that’s dumb? Of course, but that’s true for lots of horror novels.

**Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the e-arc I received in exchange for my honest review.**

▪️ I must start by saying that this story mentioned one of my favorite horror short stories – The Monkey’s Paw written in 1902 by W. W. Jacobs. It is only mentioned briefly, and with no explanation, but if you know the short story you would have understood the reference. I encourage you to go read the story if you have time. You can easily find it online.

▪️ I really enjoyed this book! It was a little gorier than I anticipated, but it wasn’t gratuitous. The scares were good, the plot was great, the relationships were a mess (which makes it more interesting), and the reveals were unanticipated. I was buckled in and enjoying the ride!

▪️ It’s a very visual read! I felt more like I was watching a movie than reading a book. There is a lot of action and intrigue, and the plot moves at a quick pace.

▪️ This is a perfect October/Autumn read! I highly recommend it, particularly if you love horror, and I hope the author continues her venture into this genre.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for a copy of this book, which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

An enjoyable story until I got to the zombie parts, which was an error on my part for not looking into the sub-genres. I liked the premise of the story, especially the reflective ending, and the island on Lake Superior had a personality all its own!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this unique story.

Hemlock Island
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Kelley Armstrong

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: 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.

When Laney shows up to investigate with her teenaged niece in tow, she discovers that her ex, Kit, has also been informed and is there with Jayla, his sister and her former best friend. Then Sadie, another old high school friend, charters over with her brother, who’s now a cop.

There are tensions and secrets, whispers in the woods, and before long, the discovery of a hand poking up from the earth. Then the body that goes with it… But by that time, someone has taken off with their one and only means off the island, and they’re trapped with someone—or something—that doesn’t want them leaving the island alive.

My Thoughts: The reviews have been mixed on this one but I thought it was fantastic. Laney owns an island with a vacation home that was given to her by her ex, the only thing she has left post-pandemic. She has found some hex circles and bloody bones between renters and thought someone was just playing a practical joke on her. She gets a call from the current renter(s) that there is blood all over the closet and scratch marks like someone was trying to get out and they were leaving. So Laney and her niece, Madison head over to investigate. Laney’s ex, Kit, was also alerted of the issue, so he heads over with his sister, Jayla, unbeknownst to Laney. Then Sadie, another high school friend, also heads over with her brother, Garrett, who is now a cop. Upon investigation, they discover a body on the island, so they want to get off right away and let the authorities handle it, however, someone else has taken off with their only means of transportation, leaving them stranded for the night. As whispers in the woods, grave secrets being exposed, and the sense that the island is alive, will they survive the night?

The story is narrated solely by Laney, in perspective, in a third person POV. Laney is a teacher and writer, she has custody of her niece, Madison, after her sister passed away from cancer. Kit is the ex, is wealthy, and is still in love with Laney. Jayla is an attorney, Kit’s sister, and used to be Laney’s best friend, but a riff in college made them estranged. Sadie is selfish, self-centered, and only thinks of herself. Garrett, Sadie’s brother, and currently a cop, thinks he knows everything and likes to boss people around. Sadie and Garrett are the least likable characters, while the most likable is Laney, and Laney is also the most relatable. Laney had an immediate ongoing irritation towards Garrett. This story caught my attention from the very first chapter and I was invested in the outcome and was absolutely engaged the entire story. There was some confusion when the paranormal aspect entered the storyline, however, I think it was wrapped up nicely in the ending with all of the plot holes sealed. The characters were created with depth, were mysterious, were created woven, and kept me invested. The author’s writing style was complex, layered, twisty, suspenseful, and brilliant.

This is an ABSOLUTELY PERFECT spooky read for the Halloween Season. It checks all of the boxes for a horror/thriller novel. It was spooky, creepy, dark, disturbing, twisty, and thrilling with a touch of paranormal added. I had the pleasure of having both the digital and audio ARCs. The narrator was amazing and she had the best voice variation, her voice is easy to listen to, she kept me engaged, and she really brought the characters from the page to life, really felt like I was watching a movie. My only qualm, other than the paranormal confusion I already mentioned, was the narration came off as immature and young, not older adults. I highly recommend this spooky read for the season, or any time really.

3 1/2

Hemlock Island was a very strange and unique kind of horror. That's not to say it wasn't enjoyable in its own way. I was engrossed and invested along the way, but when family drama hit, I was starting to lose interest. It explained the storyline of characters, but it was a bit much. Took away from the atmosphere of the book. This might be where readers start to lose investment in the story in my opinion. It was a nice twist, but completely unnecessary. What begins as an almost who done it mystery unfolds into a whole new mystery, I loved it up until that point, then it seemed to take a nosedive. I read on to see where it was going and was disappointed as it was coming to its conclusion, the last quarter of the book was such a let down, that it changed my rating. This book seems to me that it may be a hit for some, but not others....give it a try!

Thank you St. Martins and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Very intriguing plot - very involved with the characters and their progress.
Well done twists.
The leadup could be improved - there were occurrences of dark magic as well some hints to the culprit. I feel like it could been more developed - also seemed more like a background aspect rather than driving the plot.