This book help solidify my understanding of my love of wilderness horror. There is something so terrifying about being in the middle of nowhere, yet relatively close to civilization, pursued by something that is shaping your surroundings, both physically and mentally… absolutely amazing. Another thing this book provided, a pace that was nail biting. This is a very atmospheric, slow build horror. It’s a lot less jump scare than psychological horror and I found it riveting. I recommend the audiobook, though I did read the book simultaneously,

I knew I was going to love this book just by the first chapter. It was a perfect introduction of what was to come. I enjoyed the characters. I found them relatable and strongly bonded. They spend a little more time hiding in their own misery than I wanted, but ultimately what the heck would I do in their position? A group of friends go on a little weekend trip and a detour could prove deadly. The Devil’s Driveway is what locals call a desolate stretch of closed road… Completely unbeknownst to these girls, they are traveling down an unkind path, ready to reunite them with the skeletons in their closets.

I definitely recommend this book!

What a FASCINATING novel this is. I do enjoy a well-contained, tight-timeline horror experience, and this book certainly delivers that!

This cast of characters is absolutely rock solid. I love our pov character Livia, her pack of childhood best friends, and the young ghost-hunters they gang up with.

I thought the premise here was really cool: SOMETHING along a purportedly haunted stretch of road tortures those on it with the trauma of their own pasts, feeding off their fear and dread until they inevitably die. Once I understood what was going on, I locked in and was all for it, but I struggled a bit in the beginning understanding why the flashbacks were relevant. The ramp-up to the true ‘oh no’ felt a little stilted as a result. It’s a hard line to traverse: giving your readers enough information that the reveals and scary stuff feels significant, but also not bogging down the early moments of your thriller with too much information for them to parse. In the grand scheme, easily could be a preference thing for me.

The ending felt EARNED, and such a lovely relief. I think it’s interesting that there is some ambiguity, but it isn’t ambiguity I dislike. It’s right. The characters’ inner demons are so central in this one that watching them face those is so so satisfying.

I think this is a contender for the list of primary world horror I’m hoping to build on my shop’s libro.fm profile! The narration is rock solid, well-edited, and easy to understand. Kate Handford expertly walks the narrow line between emotional and performative—her performance is emotive without being exhausting to listen to. Very impressed and a very good listen.