Thank you to Netgalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Strange Folk was a delightful read with family, magic, betrayal, redemption, love all wrapped into one atmospheric story.

I definitely see the ties to Practical Magic and the author did a good job with the multi generational magic aspect.

It did take me awhile to get through and I liked the side characters more than our main POV characters, but overall I really enjoyed it.

Plus, while there is a minor romance, I’m always a sucker for a good “you came”, “you called” moment.

In Alli Dyer's debut novel Strange Folk, readers are transported to the mysterious world of Craw Valley, nestled in the heart of Appalachia. Protagonist Lee reluctantly returns to her estranged family and their tradition of folk magic, only to find herself entangled in dark secrets and ominous events. As she grapples with her family's legacy and the consequences of their enchantments, Lee is drawn into a web of mystery and danger. Dyer's lush prose and vivid storytelling bring the landscape and characters of Craw Valley to life, while exploring themes of family, tradition, and the power of the supernatural. Despite its flaws, Strange Folk captivates with its haunting atmosphere and compelling narrative, leaving readers spellbound until the final page.

The cover, title, and description of this book immediately drew my attention - unfortunately after reading it, this story just wasn't what I was hoping for. I didn't care for -- or really like any of the characters. There were pieces of the plot that felt as though they were there just for shock factor. This was originally pitched along the lines of Alice Hoffman and Sarah Addison Allen, but I strongly disagree.

Strange Folk is a great novel about family, tradition, and magic. If you have been searching for a book like the perennial favorite, Practical Magic, you need to read Strange Folk.

Lee left Craw Valley when she went to college and never looked back. Her life was a misery there. In the small mountain town, her mother fell apart after Lee's father died. Lee has to learn at 10 how to care for herself and pay bills because no one else would. When Lee asked her grandma Belva for help, Belva took her back to her mother. Lee never forgave her.

Now Lee is looking for a safe place to land from a bad marriage. The only place she can think of is Belva's house. When Lee arrives the memories come flooding back. How can she explain to her two children that the family is "different" from others. The land speaks to them. How can she keep them safe from her mother Redbud. When a dead body show up not too far from the family's home they are in danger of getting blamed by the community.

Lee's world is falling apart, can she keep it together long enough to find the killer and save her children?

Strange Folk is the story of Lee, separated mother of Meredith and Cliff, leaving California and going back to the family in the mountains of Appalachia that she left behind so many years ago. Her family is mountain folk… believing in the powers of the land. It’s hard to ignore the strange things that occur and easy to chalk up her family as witches. Lee has been determined to leave this part of her past behind, but her children are drawn to the magic.
I enjoyed the premise but the plot was slow at times and then once it picked up (about halfway through), it became rather confusing. Not my cup of tea but I can see why others may like it.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for access to this arc.

An extremely well craft story that burns with magical realism and beautifully flawed characters. A respectful presentation of folk magic with just the right amount of mystery and darkness. The realism goes beyond just the magical as many real life struggles are on display as well. Although this read as a complete and satisfying stand alone, I would love the opportunity to re visit this community.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book. I am leaving my honest review voluntarily..

“Strange Folk,” by Alli Dyer

This book was definitely not for me. I did not like a single character in the entire book. 1 out of 5 stars.

-Magic
-Multi POV
-Addiction

Thank you for the ARC.

After reading Alli Dyer’s debut novel, Strange Folk, I can definitely see why it was said it would appeal to fan of Alice Hoffman. The book has the strong family/generational magic found in much of Hoffman’s work, which I’m a huge fan of. The story centers around Lee, who left home at eighteen. She didn’t want any part of being trapped in Appalachia or her family’s magic. But you know what they say about the best laid plans and now she finds herself returning home to Craw Valley. She still wants nothing to do with the family’s magic, but a man turns up dead she find she may not have a choice in the matter, not if she wants to protect for family. A wonderfully atmospheric setting, fascinating lure/magic, an intriguing story, and an interesting cast made this one a compelling read. I liked that Dyer didn’t shy away from addressing a number of serious issues that some might find disturbing. Thanks so much to Atria Books and NetGalley for there chance to read an Arc of Strange Folk.

Thank you to Net Galley and Atria Books for this gifted copy.

The first thing that stood out to me about this book was its gorgeous purple cover. Finding out it was about a magical, witchy family in Appalachia was icing on the cake. This debut novel centers on generational secrets, finding your own identity, and navigating small-town drama.

There is just something about a tale centered on a family of witches that makes me smile. My favorite part of this novel was seeing Lee and her children connect with their heritage, embrace magic, and become their true selves. There is something so heartwarming about embracing your own uniqueness and encouraging those you love to do the same, and that is the core message of this novel.

Brutal honesty time: this book took me a while to get into. In the beginning, I felt like it kept dragging on and on. But, once we got to our first murder, I was hooked and wanted to keep reading. I don't know what that says about me, though, so I'm not going to dwell on it too much 🤣🤣

If you like diving into family dynamics and unraveling a lot of witchy secrets, this is the book for you. The setting is seductive and mesmerizing, which is one of the best qualities of this book.

Admittedly, almost all of the characters can be annoying at times, but it adds to the magical realism of this book since no one is truly good or evil.

This was a quick read and I enjoyed seeing the mystery and the magic unfold. I did think there was probably more calamity than the plot needed, an unbelievable amount of calamity even in a book about magic, and the pacing, especially toward the end as even more people were dropping like flies, felt off. I did like the strong family bonds and that the author addressed addiction and shame. I also think it was a novel way to portray Appalachia. I have family there, and almost wish the push and pull between unchecked development, the environment, tradition, independence, and poverty, and the imbalance of power and betrayals from some "locals" who exploit the land to develop, could have been more deeply explored, but perhaps that's a different book. I look forward to seeing more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

I loved the cover and description of this book; it sounded right up my alley. Lee is a mother of two children, and she's recently left her husband. She has nowhere else to go, so she drives with her kids from California back to her Appalachian hometown where she vowed never to return after high school. Her family practices generational magic, and Lee is not interested in involving herself with it. She isn't left with much of a choice, though, as murders start occurring right after her arrival back home. What is going on, and is her family's magic tied to it? Lee and her children are pulled into the mystery, learning more about themselves, their family's dark past, and the power of the land.

I love witchy books and find Appalachia to be an interesting setting, so I thought this would be such a fascinating read! Unfortunately, it didn't work for me. The author has some cool ideas and is clearly skilled at writing, but there was just too much going on and too many logistical details that didn't make sense for me to fully enjoy this story. I think if this had gone through a few more drafts, it could have been quite good. I'll try to describe what didn't work for me, though.

First, this book is so dark. The characters are all dealing with a plethora of trauma. Lee's mother, Redbud, is addicted to opiates. Lee is an alcoholic. As soon as she returns home, Lee discovers that her old favorite teacher is a pedophile. Lee's grandmother, Belva, did some pretty unethical things with her magic when she was younger and willfully ignores her children and grandchildren when they're in need. That's not even all of it - pretty much every character has a traumatic backstory or has something terrible happen to them, except Lee's children. I don't mind dark subject matter, but it seems like this book is unnecessarily grim at points. These difficult topics are not given the depth that they require, because there are so many other terrible things going on. Additionally, Lee's children immediately adore Lee's family and the small town, even though there's really nothing portrayed as positive about it. So, I would argue that if about half of the trauma had been removed from this book, and maybe even a few positive things had been sprinkled in instead, it would have been easier to read and the characters' motivations would have made more sense.

I know you're supposed to suspend your disbelief when reading books about magic, but there were also way too many unrealistic plot points that distracted me as I read Strange Folk. Like I said above, Lee's kids are thrilled about the move. They never miss their old life or friends. Their dad is wealthy, and they never even discuss missing their old way of life in California. I find this unrealistic, particularly because the children are in middle school and high school. Even if Meredith, a teenager, prefers her new friends and family, it seems like there should have still been some discussion about the challenges of leaving everything she ever knew behind. Additionally, the kids aren't treated well - Lee neglects them to drink, go on dates, and investigate the murders, while the rest of their family is secretive for a good portion of the book. So, again, it just doesn't make sense that they're so happy when they're not being given enough attention. There are details that don't make sense about other characters, too. Lee is able to pick back up with all of her acquaintances from 15+ years ago without much difficulty at all. She finds romance with a guy she kissed once in high school, as if nothing has changed since she ran away from him all those years ago. Even the magic doesn't make sense. It became difficult to enjoy the plot when I couldn't understand anyone's choices.

The lack of depth throughout the novel is probably my other biggest issue with this story. There are many small details that would usually be included in a book that are absent here. For example, we never learn what state Craw Valley is in. Nor do we learn anyone's exact ages, including the kids'. None of these details are a huge deal on their own - readers can infer a lot through context clues. However, pieced together, it all makes the story feel slightly blurred. The magic system is extremely underdeveloped; I never understood what everyone was capable of doing with magic. Additionally, it felt like many issues were presented in a one-sided manner, as there wasn't much nuance discussed in the text. Belva portrays a very anti-science worldview that no one challenges, everyone hates Dreama's ideas of developing the town, etc. Most topics in this story were only touched on at a shallow level, while other helpful information was left out entirely.

The writing has its positives and negatives throughout the book. I know Alli Dyer can write well, because there are some sentences (especially in the first half) that stopped me in my tracks. She offers some great reflections on growing up and returning home after feeling like you didn't reach your childhood aspirations. There are so many mixed feelings that pop up when revisiting your hometown, and Dyer is fantastic at writing about that. However, other times, I thought her writing was superfluous and repetitive. Too much exposition was conveyed through dialogue. Meredith's chapters also did not read like they were about a teenager, at all, so I wish that that perspective had just been removed. Even the pacing was off - there were too flashbacks in the second half of the book, which slowed the story down.

The characters were interesting, and I appreciated the themes of difficult family relationships and generational trauma that were explored through their interactions. The author did a good job of coming up with developed characters. However, hardly anyone is likable. Characters don't need to be likeable for a story to be good. But, since readers were clearly supposed to root for Lee and her family, it didn't work for me that literally every woman in the family was problematic in some way. Some of the characters grow, but not enough to make the ending satisfying or believable. The only two characters that are likeable are Cliff, Lee's son, and Uncle Billy. In a book that's so focused on strong women, I was sad that I couldn't root for any of the women who were present here.

While this book didn't work for me, others may enjoy it. The atmosphere is fairly well-written, and, at times, the magic feels wild and connected to nature, which is fun to read about. So, if you're looking for a novel about vengeful women and fierce magic, you might like this if you aren't deterred by how miserable everyone is. It may appeal more to readers who don't care about logic/realism in their stories. For me, though, I was never able to connect with the characters and their struggles, which made it hard to enjoy. I'll still keep an eye on other books published by Alli Dyer in the future. I think she could grow into a strong author, even if this debut wasn't a good fit for me.

2 out of 5 stars.

"Strange Folk" is a literary gem that I devoured in a single afternoon, utterly captivated from start to finish. The author's masterful storytelling skillfully weaves together Appalachian folklore and a gripping narrative, creating an atmospheric and immersive reading experience.

From the very first page, the author excels at setting the scene, transporting readers to the mystical landscape of the Appalachian mountains. The rich tapestry of folklore adds depth and authenticity to the story, infusing it with a sense of magic and mystery that kept me enthralled throughout.

In addition to its captivating plot, the novel boasts well-developed characters who leap off the page with vividness and complexity. Each character adds depth and nuance to the story, making their journey all the more compelling to follow.

Overall, "Strange Folk" is a triumph of storytelling that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone seeking an enthralling read. I eagerly anticipate the next offering from this talented author and eagerly await the opportunity to dive back into their world of enchantment and intrigue.

There was a lot I liked about this book, but it ultimately fell a bit flat for me.
I so badly wanted to love it because the synopsis sounded incredible. I did enjoy the setting, some of the characters, the generational healing, and the descriptive writing.
But that’s about where it ended for me. Most of the plot felt either bland or overwhelming. I didn’t enjoy the main character, so it was hard for me to get hooked.

4.5 stars Loved the family dynamic in this story. Weird and heart-warming at the same time! Generational strangeness was appealing too.

I’m still not entirely sure what I just read, but it was an intriguing and somehow heartwarming story. I think I may need to read it a second time to let it sink in and process. Overall, it was a solid read.

I wasn’t familiar with the part of the world this book is set in, but I immediately felt immersed in the landscape, customs, and community. The atmosphere and world-building was definitely the strongest part of the book. There were a few characters I wish had been fleshed out more, but I thought Belva and Redbud were really well-developed, believable characters and arcs. I would love to read a prequel story set in this world.

Perhaps it was mismanaged expectations on my part, but Strange Folk did not work for me. I choose it due to it's comparisons to other works and it didn't come close to delivering on those comparisons.

To it's detriment, Strange Folk jumps on the trend of highlighting Appalachian magic, a theme that has been done often and in my opinion much more successfully in the last few years. The author uses a heavy handed approach in creating both the atmosphere and magic systems and as a result both felt forced and inauthentic. The plot too felt bloated and over-complicated while the characters felt underdeveloped.

I do enjoy someone trying to infuse magic in the mundane, it is amongst my favorite thing to read, but I think the author perhaps tried to hard here....it just wasn't for me.

When Lee grew up, she couldn’t wait to leave Craw Valley and swore she would never return. It was all so backwards to her then. It still is when she returns with her two children in tow in the midst of a divorce.

Her Grandma Belva is still practicing magic and mountain medicine, and Lee still has no use for it. Though her children embrace the new life and All the things they are learning, which is bringing their own powers to life.

When Belva casts a spell and the target is found dead, Lee searches for answers. As she seeks the truth and to help Belva, she finds herself and may finally understand what she didn’t all those years ago.

This is a fabulous debut from this author and she cast her spell over the reader and keeps them entranced the entire way. I loved being under her spell and look forward to experiencing it again in future works.

As you can see from my rating, first and foremost, I enjoyed this book. The overall picture, the overall feeling of this story 'did it for me'. The author didn't take any sharp turns that threw me off from the point of the story. This to me is IDEAL. It is so easy to go off track. As a writer, there are so many directions to add in and it's tempting, but you must stay true to the story and Dyer did that well.
Strange Folk is a cozy thriller(?), mystery(?) following Lee going back home, Lee's daughter Meredith realizing she has a home and all the spooky happenings that start occurring when they arrive back to where ... the strange folk live.

That being said, there is a little bit of buttoning up that has to be done to make this story perfect (and honestly, deserving of my 4 stars). First of all, in magical worlds we need world building. We, as the readers, need the rules of this world defined for us. I spent a good chunk of the book wondering if the Buck family was really magical at all or was this herbal 'witch' type things. I wish the author did a better job of explaining and building the walls for the world she put us in.

Secondly, the dialogue was on and off being realistic and awkward. Dialogue felt forced. Sometimes added to get a scene across but with no real reactions. For example, when Lee told/checked in with Meredith about a certain someone (being vague on purpose to avoid spoilers). Meredith's reaction was nothing. I expected from her more questions or at least some inner thoughts. But after Lee mentioned it, we didn't hear about it at all. Maybe the author just added that in to make sure the reader knew Lee wasn't a bad mother? But really, adding Meredith to that part of the storyline was useless if you aren't going to go anywhere with it.

I know I'm being picky with the above example, but this is one of a bit too many loose ends, not tied up dialogue and not true reactions to when characters would find information.

The balance needed here is to beef up the world building and remove some of the action. Although I enjoyed all the 'action-packed' scenes there is a lot going on and it could help removing some of them. All this book needs is to be tightened up. If that's done, this would have been an excellent read. The author did a good job of walking the line, without crossing over it and I enjoyed reading this story.

** Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Firstly, a big thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for allowing me access to this Advanced Reader Copy!

From the increasing trends of witchy wild women in adult fiction came Strange Folk by Alli Dyer. I really loved how different authors portray these whimsical stories of witchcraft and femininity. Dyer's Strange Folk in particular was pleasantly down to earth. I love how it took a more gritty, realistic look to this trend. The characters and their relationships and problems within the book are so compelling and real. Even with the added witchcraft and magic, you get a sense that these people could exist, if you go to their town. You'll see these people wandering around, with their protective bags and life hardships.

This book just has such a good mix of realism and fantasy. As well, I found it very well-written and clear to read. This is a well-rounded debut and I am excited to see what Dyer will do next.

As for critique, there isn't too much to say. Most of my feelings are about wanting more. More of the characters, more of the conflict, more of the world. I wished Meredith and Otis had more focus and characterization. Though Meredith is a narrator, the main character is mostly Lee. In the first half, there was plenty of Meredith's thoughts and perspective, but as the book went on, I felt like there was a loss of potential for her character. She often wants to fight Lee about her demands as a worried mother, but in the last quarter of the book, it feels like she sort of gave up. In this, I wanted her character to grow as much as some others did but didn't really get the chance.

For Otis, I get the feeling he wasn't meant to play a huge role, he's supposed to be a side character to support Lee. However, this was at odds with his actual character. He explicitly states in the book that he doesn't want to be beholden to Lee's feelings and whims. But that's exactly what he does for the most part. It's just a little disappointing to read. I feel like his characterization could've used some work.

Lastly, there were a few strong, emotional parts of the book that were told through summary when I think they should've been told through scenes to keep the reader connected to the characters and action. In particular, there was a summoning ritual in the latter half of the book that had so much summary I was left wanting for more. This would be a case, I suppose, of too much tell and not enough show. And that isn't necessarily a bad thing, it is just not what I think this part probably needed.

Overall, Strange Folk was a good book with room for improvement by the author. I really like how it stands out from recent trends and look forward to more. My critiques are going to be half based on my own experience and knowledge of writing and half based on opinion, so don't let it dissuade you too much if you found this book interesting! I did really enjoy reading it and I hope others will give it a chance!