Wow….this story was achingly horrific on so many levels! Starts off slow, but once it hits -it’s a tsunami of action/kills/gore! Could not turn the pages fast enough to see what happens to this family! Loved all the characters, the highly descriptive setting, and the monsters so much! Can’t wait for another book from this genius!!

I feel awful about my 3 stars, i mean this is the man who wrote Bunker Dogs... But no matter how hard i tried, i could not love this book.
It had a strong though abrupt start, and continued as a strongly character driven plot. The characters are .... mainly young adults acting as brats. I guess understandably, as they had a traumatic experience when they were young, but I'm not sure this should be an overall "get-out-of-jail-free" card. This went at the expense of atmosphere for me.
The monsters were cool and gave me some shivers, i wish we had more on them, i could have spent more time focusing on them.
This would make a fine debut but it's not at the level of the author's other books. I kept waiting for something original to happen but it didn't. An average coming of age creature feature. If you love those, this will make a good read for you.
I guess it's just a book that didn't click with me, and I'm really happy seeing all the amazing reviews.

After the sudden death of his wife on account of corporate negligence, Jackson uses the compensation money from her company to move his children into a bigger house on Block Island. Wreath (17), Brian (15), Charlie (13), Chrissy (9) and Angela (8) are excited about the future even as they work through their complicated feelings of grief.
On their very first night in their new home, Wreath dies a horrible death, when she is literally eaten alive in her room by a monster.
Four years later, Jackson is an alcoholic mess. Brian lives out on the streets, addicted to drugs and opioids. Charlie, Chrissy and Angela are living with their aunt, Jackson’s sister, who isn’t much of a caregiver. But that’s not the worst of it. Charlie suffers from crippling anxiety. Chrissy has no memory of the monster that destroyed her family, while Angela has a terrible fear of being alone.
Chrissy questions her family’s insistence on clinging to the story. Then in a library book, she sees a picture of the monster and the blocked memories come rushing back at her.

The book is suffused with horror. Chrissy devours horror fiction. She has turned into ‘someone who would find peace in violent words.’ The author uses Chrissy’s interest in horror fiction to recommend some books. There’s also the horror of alcohol and drug addiction.
The book cover was interesting, with the island, seemingly ordinary, and the lives that it has claimed, visible in the spilling of blood below the surface of the water.
The writing was masterful in the first part of the book, especially the first chapter, inviting the reader to stop speed reading to lavish upon the words the attention the author had devoted to crafting them. Through the first half of the book, we see the pain born of grief and trauma.
We feel a sense of sadness for the plight of this this suffering family. The challenges that batter the kids relentlessly make us feel protective towards them.
The friendship that siblings Tiffany and Doug show to Charlie was sweet, and I felt bad that things didn’t turn out differently for them. Also why were they attacked?
But the second half of the book lost me. The first half definitely felt tighter than the second. And the action against the monsters took too long. Against it, the sibling dynamics was reduced to petty squabbles.
The chapters, alternating between Tiffany and Doug, Chrissy and Angela, and Detective Burns and Jackson, were essentially the same, with each pair facing off against the monster, and each pair coming to the same conclusion about their situation. My attention flagged at this point. It was almost like a sibling fight, with each pair hitting the monster, and being hit back in turn.

There was a hint about a weakness suffered by the monsters, but no explanation for why they have that weakness.
The character of Brian was explored briefly but not in a way that helped the plot along.
The action vis-à-vis the monsters takes far too long. We can’t imagine how this part of the book will end. What scenario could possibly result in the destruction of such horrible monsters?
The climax and the resolution left me feeling dissatisfied. There was no good explanation about why the nightmare ended when it did or even how, and whether it would ever recur.
Some elements in the story didn’t make sense. Why did Angela have the visions about the monsters in the past?
It was surprising that the detailed flashback of Jackson’s wife comes at the 76 percent mark, almost like an afterthought or a force-fit, making it appear like an unplanned addition. Before that, we are told almost nothing about her, which is odd considering that it is her death that sets the plot going.
The relationship between the siblings felt incomplete. Other than the fact that most of them don’t get along with each other, I saw very little of the dynamics between the siblings or the family. The aunt that is apparently caring for Charlie, Chrissy and Angela isn’t even seen in the book.
The chapter titles were intriguing. They made no sense out of context and, at first glance, seemed rather random. It was only when one read the chapter that one could make sense of them.
I don’t enjoy monster horror, but I expected better from this because of the themes of grief and trauma that were woven through. But ultimately, this book didn’t work for me.

This book was intense. When the Keating family go back to the island, things go really wild which is the last thing the family needs after all they've been through. The horrors that happened throughout the book really kept me reading that I finished it rather quickly. This was a lot of fun, but a heavy read :)

My first NetGalley read!

Reading a book that takes place somewhere you’re familiar with is a very particular and soul-warming experience. You end up feeling like you’re a part of the story. Rhode Island is a tiny place that I have called home now for two years. All the nods to RI that Greenwood includes - the all but mandatory scooters on Block Island, being able to see the Island on a clear day (you can), dunking on Cranston - feel like inside jokes with his local audience which, as an indie author, is a great move. There were several terrific bouts of prose that I’ll include at the end. The story itself was an interesting one that kept a steady and intriguing pace. It’s also very difficult to manage so many main characters, so many different perspectives, and guide them all to flourish into fleshed out people. Also, waaaaay higher death toll than I expected: kudos!

Now the critiques (I’m sorry!) I felt that dialogue wasn’t consistent. There were some terrific lines and pieces, but it usually felt like it was written by an outsider rather than natural spoken word from the characters themselves. That being said, many of these characters are related so that could explain why it all seemed like it was from the same source. But I think it could have used some more editing.

Overall, worth the read, especially if you’re from Rhode Island!

Thank you to NetGalley, Gage Greenwood, and Tanner’s Switch Publishing!

“If a person could create beautiful sentences from horrific events, then any person could weave their way through life’s trauma. You just had to make the grime shine.”

“Go read a book, bitch.”

I just loved this book. I had high hopes as I have read most of Gage's stuff and loved it and Block Island does not disappoint! I love his unique approach to horror, with a bit of comedy mixed in and some terrifying moments. I also appreciate the self referential parts to his other works I got super excited when I saw a reference to a short story he wrote which made me take notice of him as an author. It was a short story that has lasted a long time in my mind and this novel will too.

Greenwood has a talent for textured prose, complicated emotions, and inventive monsters. He lets that talent shine in "On a Clear Day, You Can See Block Island."

The book starts with a bang, dragging the reader into a story which digs deeper than anticipated, into trauma, grief, addiction, and regrets. But, he's got the ability to temper the big themes with moments of genuine humor.

Parts of the book had me thinking "those meddling kids" but this isn't a Scooby story. It's an intense nightmare that'll keep you guessing while ripping your heart to pieces.

Read it.

On a Clear Day, You Can See Block Island
By Gage Greenwood

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book to review!

Disturbing, well written and a great supernatural horror novel. This is exactly the type of book I love. Kept me reading straight through the night.

Gage Greenwood has a way with words that will scare the pants off of a reader.

5 Stars

The Keating family had suffered more tragedy and grief than most. When the oldest daughter is killed by something monstrous, all of their lives are permanently changed. The father becomes an alcoholic, the oldest son a drug addict, and the younger siblings are left to fend for themselves. Their tragedy becomes a media sensation, but nobody really believes that there is a monster loose on Block Island.

Charlie and his two younger sisters, Chrissy and Angela, decide to go to the Island to see if they can find the truth of that horrible night. Instead of answers, they unwittingly unleash the monsters on the world. They soon have to fight for their lives in order to survive.

The story is well-written and fast-paced, with plenty of horrors along the way. It is also a story of PTSD and grief. "Grief was the ultimate detonation." You will come to love the strength and resilience of this group of kids, especially the youngest of the bunch, Angela. This is a great blend of folk horror, creature feature, and ancestral oaths that continue to haunt later generations. This is my first book by the author, but I will definitely be looking for more by him. He is a great storyteller and this book will keep you reading long into the night.

An island off the coast of New England? A history of missing teenagers? Creepy monsters? This book does not disappoint and had me turning the pages until the very end. Highly recommend to all horror fans.

Thanks to Gage Greenwood and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for my review.

One a Clear Day, You Can See Block Island was a helluva ride. It reminded me of Haunting of Hill House before taking a sharp right turn into Stranger Things. Grief is the most prevalent topic in this, becoming almost another character. Each character is dealing with some sort of extreme grief, from the Keating family after losing their mother and sister, even to the town that has been slowly wasting away. And much, if not all of this grief, centers around events that occurred on Block Island, a spit of land with lighthouses on either end and enough trauma and history to sink everyone it hurts.

I did enjoy this story, though it took a bit to read because the depictions of grief were a little too real sometimes. All of the characters, no matter how screwed up they were, I couldn't help, but feel for. And I'm going to be thinking about all of them for awhile, especially Charlie. Because (and this is a spoiler) no one really gets a happy ending. They survive sure, they go on living, but grief never just up and disappears. Even if you right some wrong, or get revenge or whatever. It's still there, it's still something to struggle with and try and find it a place in your life.

This book gets off to a hair-raising start…not with a bang, but more like a crunch…crunch…slurp…crunch. The words “Welcome Home” will never be the same to me, as they are never the same for the Keating family as they spend their first night in a new home on Block Island. What they hear and see on that night changes them forever, even after leaving Block Island vowing never to return.
Monsters aren’t just in your imagination kids.
I loved the mysterious “in and out of dimensions” quality of this story. I really appreciated getting snippets of the lives of the creatures and their loneliness and helplessness at being in the situation they find themselves in. This created a nice fully dimensional point of view for all of the characters thrust into this strange fog of horror.
Thank you #netgalley for the opportunity to read and review #OnAClearDayYouCanSeeBlockIsland

Right out of the gate, this book punches you in the gut with horror and gore. It just keeps going and every time you think you are safe… nope. It was a fun and creepy read. The mystery was fun to figure out. I loved the lore behind everything.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gage Greenwood, Tanner’s Switch Publishing for providing me with a free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Kudos. After the holy s*@t moment at the end of chapter 1 to the nod to some pretty awseome indie authors and all that came after. This is your best book yet,

it's really hard to come across a book where every character feels relatable. each of their grief really felt like it hit home. Gage perfectly captured the dread of grief while also keeping me on edge and thoroughly creeped out.

I might be thinking about Charlie for a long time

This book completely captivated me from that first chapter. It was completely shocking! Greenwood did an amazing job at not only portraying a supernatural monster, but how grieving tragedies effect family dynamics. This book really tore my heart out and terrified me!

I wish I could have taken my time reading this, but of course, I couldn't put it down. I loved how he put other horror authors' names in the book and the references of his previous books. I loved every single character and the emotions were felt! When I finished it, I sighed so hard and wiped my eyes. I'm not going to say "F U, Gage!" but thank you so very much!

This book was beautiful. I can't decide if this is my favorite or Bunker Dogs.

This book immediately gave me Haunting of Hill House vibes in the best way possible. I loved how each chapter focused on a different family member. The flow of this book was perfect, it was addicting. Being from NE it was fun to read about Rhode Island, it surprisingly made me want to go visit again soon even more lol. I loved the connections the characters made with each other it was heartwarming for a horror novel. I recommend if you’re into indie horror!

Thank you to Gage Greenwood and NetGalley for the eARC of 'On A Clear Day, You Can See Block Island'. And wow. That opening chapter!

Really enjoyed this fast paced creature feature as it read like a novelisation of Netflix's adaptation of 'The Haunting of Hill House' before going full-on 'Stranger Things'. Highly recommend for fans of either of those shows.

I believe I devoured this book in two nights. And that, only because I had to work in the morning and sleep forced me to put it down at the halfway point.

The first half of this book quite literally had me sitting up in bed, with "holy shit!" expletives disturbing the slumber of my reading companions, the cat and the dog. The second half of the book, while not quite as disturbingly eye-popping or as well crafted as the first half, also had me on pins and needles, as I eagerly read to see which character Greenwood would throw to the beasties, quite literally. I learned early on that Greenwood the author was a bloodthirsty one.

I loved the chapter headings, and the cover art, and hell, the entire contents. I loved that I had to look up "langblass nebelbewohner" to see if this was a real beast from Germanic folklore or not. I loved the family dynamics.

Gage Greenwood, my hat is off to you. I will most definitely be tracking down your other fictional tales. Bravo!