4.75🌟🌟🌟🌟💫✨

It is safe to say that I was over the moon when i got approved to read this arc (and that’s an understatement). Erin Craig is one of my favorite authors and I am always captivated by her ability to completely transport you into a story. Throughout this entire book, I felt like I was right alongside Greer as she goes on this harrowing journey. The world and writing is spellbinding in the creepiest yet best way, and so many times I had full body chills. The atmosphere of Mistaken and the world beyond kept me turning page after page, craving every little detail I could gather.

In addition to this being my favorite Erin Craig book, Greer Mackenzie is my favorite fmc she’s ever written! Her wanderlust, her loving heart, and her compassionate spirit made me want to give her the biggest hug and I love her so much! She is a character driven by love, and even when she struggles with her identity, that love remains and guides her, a compass in what feels like a never ending storm. Greer is a beautifully crafter character and I would follow her adventures anywhere!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PICK THIS BOOK UP IN SEPTEMBER!!

HUGE thanks to Netgalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the e-arc!!

Thank you to NetGalley and to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor for the ARC of A Land So Wide by Erin A. Craig.

This is my first Erin A. Craig novel, and the description reminded me a bit of A.G. Slatter's books. When I started reading, I immediately had M. Night Shyamalan's The Village vibes for the first 47% of the novel. From here, my reactions to the book are complicated. Honestly, I felt like I was reading two entirely separate books. In the first 47% we are in the village of Mistaken where Greer and her fellow townspeople swear fealty to an entity known as the Benevolence who keep them safe from the monstrous Bright-Eyed who would attack them outright if the Benevolence had not established protective stone wards that keep the evil out. Greer's life is simple - she wants to create maps and explore the narrow confines of her island home, marry Ellis, her childhood sweetheart, and stay safe from the evil outside the town boundaries. Greer's uncanny hearing makes some of the townspeople wary, but as the daughter of the richest man in the town she is given a wide berth for her oddities. When Ellis wanders outside the ward stones safety on the same day he is supposed to be marrying her, Greer heads off into the woods to save him. After this point the book shifts wildly. It's not a bad change, and it's full of interesting developments, but it doesn't feel like the same setting, the same story or the same character motivations. Everything feels flipped on its head. For me, parts of the second half linked well with the first, but others.... others I wish I had another 200 pages of writing to dive into for all those ideas to be fully fleshed out. As it stands, so much of it seemed like only the smallest thread of a story was given that it didn't feel solid to me at the end. The novel finishes without needing a sequel, but I would have liked SO many more details to feel like I really understood everything that happened.

I also kept highlighting passages thinking "Is this a plot hole? That doesn't line up with what was said a chapter back" and found that a lot of those instances were intentional for "gotcha' moments later in the novel. This made for a bit of a frustrating reading experience, because I would get caught up in the falsehood and then felt like it was a cheap reveal saved for later that kept happening again and again and again.

I also was frustrated with Ellis's characterization - his letter to Greer apologizing for leaving completely solidified for me that they should not be together - and the mentions Ellis makes in his letter of what the Council told him, etc. is never explored in-depth, he just claims to be protecting Greer, even though he must know by leaving that he's dooming her to a wildly unhappy marriage to someone else. I would have preferred he be selfish and say he was doing it for his family, not for her, because it was a shit move if it's how he was considering her. Granted, Greer's behavior in return in the second half also makes me think she shouldn't be with him, so I'm a bit frosty at any characterization that this is a love story - though, again, similar to A.G. Slatter's horror/gothic vibes.

Greer also confused me a bit any time she reflected on her mother. Her mother died when she was 20, 7 years earlier than the story takes place, but the way Greer seems to remember her is all wrapped up in when she was a child. It made it feel like there was a very odd time distortion. I also struggled with placing the timeline of Greer's mother's history into the context of the story, and will write those notes specifically for the publisher due to potential spoilers/plot holes.

It's a bit hard to write this further, especially to dive into some of my confusion with the second half, because I don't want to give away any spoilers on how the story shifts. I will say there is all of a sudden a magic system and other creature-based developments at play that were very interesting, but were minimally detailed. I had trouble understanding the magical system/the relevant history/how Greer played into all of this/what abilities Greer actually possesses or does not possess - it all felt really fast-paced and really rushed. Again, I would have taken another 200 pages if it meant I could understand all the elements of the story more.

Oh my, Erin A. Craig has done it again.

Erin A. Craig is my auto-buy author, and she did not let me down this time around. I was fully immersed by the time the second chapter rolled around - I am a sucker for small town horror. Craig does extremely well with descriptive scenery and historical horror.

Rounded down to 4 stars as I felt that at the 50% mark, the plot dragged a bit, and I struggled with not feeling connected to any secondary characters - I would have felt more engaged if Louise had a larger part to play (she was there for a minute, and then just never really brought up again? I think for a best friend, she should have more depth, and the lack of thought from Greer towards her supposed best friend was confusing).

The ending did in fact feel rushed and I felt like there was something missing - perhaps more passion between characters.

I did enjoy reading A Land So Wide and ate it up in about two days. I am so grateful to have been able to read an early copy.

If you enjoyed the film Red Riding Hood (2011), I’m almost certain you will love this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley, Pantheon, Knopf, and Erin A. Craig for providing me with the digital ARC in exchange for my review. Many gratitudes.

Greer Mackenzie lives in a tiny town with a protective border bestowed by the Benevolence, protecting them from the monstrous Bright-Eyeds. When her fiance Ellis goes missing, Greer ventures into the forest after him.

This book was so fun to read, instantly pulling you in with Craig's immensely immersive writing. The first half seemed a little disconnected from the rest, but only because Greer changes as a character throughout, and the story has no issues connecting both aspects with both suspected and jaw-dropping revelations. Each page will have you anxious and wanting for more. This book does not disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley and Pantheon for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

The story is told from the perspective of the FMC, Greer MacKenzie, who lives in a small village called Mistaken, protected by the warding stones. The villagers offer their blessings in return, believing that kindness keeps them safe from the bright-eyeds — malevolent monsters that have already taken lives. Fortunately, the stones mark the boundaries of the village, keeping the wild forest and its lurking dangers — the bright-eyeds, beasts, and other horrors — at bay. Crossing this boundary is forbidden; but some girls who dared in the past never returned.

An interesting aspect is the hunt, a ritual where girls hide in the forest, waiting to be found by their future husbands.

I didn't read the synopsis; it seems I've automatically started picking up everything the author writes. I've read three of her books, and I really love her style!

"A Land So Wide" caught my interest from the very first chapters, featuring a little town with its secrets and monsters. There's a bit of a love triangle, which I don't particularly enjoy, but I liked both love interests here. However, I wouldn't say the fmc was deeply in love with the second one, so I didn't really mind the triangle (in a good way). It's really more about inner strength and the fight for freedom.

The plot kept me on edge, with the atmosphere of the cold forest, the sounds of animals... I recommend reading it in the dark! A dark fairy tale with elements of folklore, a journey into the unknown for the sake of love.

The book is not difficult to read; I just wished for a bit more description of certain details.

When I finished, I felt stunned and a bit shivery. Thats all, finished?...

The main character didn’t annoy me, but I often forgot how old she was; I felt like she was no more than 20 (but that’s just my take).

It also reminded me of the series "From"

I’m so glad I read this book! Woman, please keep writing because I need more!

Sometimes you have to step beyond the limits to discover more.

Plot Twists:
🪨 Forbidden Love
🪨 Mysterious Forest
🪨 Small Town
🪨 Love Triangle
🪨 Childhood Friends to Lovers
🪨 Magic
🪨 Monsters

It has been a WHILE since a book captivated me so much, I didn’t pick up my phone. This book was INCREDIBLE. It was eerie, heartbreaking, suspenseful and everything a book should be.

It’s no secret that @penchant4words is one of my favorite authors, the way she writes is so beautiful and dark and will leave you thinking about her books long after they are over. This is her adult debut, and it was an amazing read! Greer, Finn and Ellis will be living rent free in my mind.

If you love vampires, romance, exploring the unknown and books that pull you in make sure you add this to your tbr immediately! Thank you to @pantheonbooks for the arc in exchange for my honest review. PUB DATE: 9/9

Thanks to Netgallery for the opportunity to read this prior to its release. I throughly enjoyed Craig’s first adventure into adult fiction. I love that the MFC was not a teenager! Can’t wait to get my signed edition this fall!

Wow.
This was an incredibly beautiful story. Absolutely loved it - could not put it down. I have never read anything quite like it before. It reminded me of the movie The Village meets One Dark Window. I loved Greer's devotion and love towards Ellis - as well as stepping into her own. The entire atmosphere of the book was unique.

AND THE ENDING?? What was that?? Are we going to get another one??

The only suggestion I would say would be that I wanted a little bit more detail in some areas. The "willing sacrifice" every 7 years was glazed over. How was the note left on her father's door? Greer seemed to understand the magic system a little too quickly without asking enough questions as well. I also would have loved a scene of Greer coming back to her town at the end.
However this did not take away from the book itself!

5 Stars.

⭐️ 4.5
💋 1
❤️‍🔥

A Land So Wide takes place in the small mill town of Mistaken that is protected by a series of Warding Stone that keeps the monstrous Bright-Eyeds at bay. No one in the town can leave the ward stones boundaries after sunset or they will be quite literally dragged back to Mistaken. Our FMC, Greer, longs to adventure beyond the wards but with no way to avoid the ward stones pull she is content to create a life in Mistaken with her love, Ellis. But things take an unexpected turn when on the day they are meant to start their lives together, Greer watched Ellis cross the wade stone border and is pursued by a creature. Desperate to save her love, Greer finds a way out of the ward stones and begins to make her way through the unknown wildness hoping to save her love.

One thing I love about Erin’s writing is how atmospheric it is. For the first page you have a sense of foreboding and unease that continues throughout the book. You are never sure what might be lurking on the next page. I was getting some Village vibes from this story with the small secluded town that no one would leave after dark because of the monsters in the woods. The story moves quickly and I liked how bits of the mystery were revealed at just the right moments. Things got a bit wild at the end and I did feel a little lost a few times and had to re-read sections to understand what was happening but overall I REALLY enjoyed A Land So Wide and highly recommend giving it a read.

Ok .... now for some spoilers... Proceed at your own risk.
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I did not expect the summary to take up the first 50-ish percent of the book. I don't think that is a bad thing but I defiantly thought we would be out in the wilds sooner. BUT I do think we needed all that time in Mistaken to build Greer and Ellis' connection and truly understand the town and how it came to be. While I liked Greer, there were a few moments where I was like "girl... how did you not see that until now". There were also parts of the story that I guessed pretty easily but this is one of those times where it didn't bother or annoy me.

I thought this was a unique take on vampires and as a monster/paramornal/shifter reader I like that even though they were big-ol-bats that they could shift into any form they wanted, even if that made the end climax/battle a little hard to follow.

Now for my dreaded nemesis, the love triangle. Greer and Ellis clearly love each other and that doesn't change throughout the book. BUT when Greer is given blood from another character it awakens wild urges in her and she is tempted by Finn, our handsome bat shifter. I loved him and Ellis and in some alternate universe they are in a RH with Greer. I am pretty sure this is a stand alone but the last page gave me hope for maybe a little more in this world.

First off let me say I’m pretty sure I would be enthralled by Erin Craig’s grocery list, anything she writes is so good. So when she announced this book I didn’t even care what it was about it was moved to the top of my stack and wow it did not disappoint.

The first half of the book is giving “The Village” or “The Lottery” vibes. We learn about our main character Greer and the small villages customs surrounding daily activities, the frightening creature in the woods, and even marriage ceremonies but the second half is where the thrilling adventure begins and the true story comes out. This is a gothic fantasy and my favorite book from Erin Craig so far!

This book was so dark, twisty, and atmospheric. I will read anything Erin A Craig writes. I loved the concept of this story and it was executed really well. I wish we had gotten a little more Louise. It was really focused on Greer with little focus on secondary characters. I was a little worried I wasn’t going to like the ending but it all worked out.
I think the reason this is in the adult category versus young adult is due to violence or gore.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pantheon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Pantheon publishing team for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. Erin Craig’s writing is absolutely stunning—her descriptions are so vivid and atmospheric that I felt completely immersed in the world of A Land So Wide.

This book is a dark fairytale woven with elements of mystery and horror, and I was hooked from the very first chapter. Greer’s journey is one of determination and discovery, and I loved following her as she navigated the eerie and treacherous landscape beyond Mistaken’s borders. The tension, the stakes, the sense of wonder—it all kept me on the edge of my seat, eager to see where the story would take her.

The blend of folklore, adventure, and romance made for such a captivating read, and the world-building was incredible. The Canadian wilderness setting added an extra layer of beauty and brutality that perfectly complemented the story’s themes of freedom, security, and resilience.

If you love dark fairytales with lyrical writing, high stakes, and an unforgettable heroine, A Land So Wide is a must-read!

A Land So Wide is one of the best books that I have ever read! It is beautifully written and had vivid descriptions throughout the entire book. It had everything for me, including the romance, the mystery, the fantasy, the folklore, the darkness! I am in shock at how great this book was! I haven’t read a book by this author, so I was going into it blindly and I am extremely happy that I did! The themes were very well executed and I enjoyed every second of this Canadian wilderness journey it took me on.

This book is about a girl named Greer Mackenzie who lives in Mistaken land. She is confronted by a curse and must navigate her way through it to rescue her one and only true love named Ellis. There is a lot of danger out in the wilderness she must face. Will she be able to confront everything that comes her way? Why was Ellis cursed? What all is out there in Mistaken land? This story is filled with passion as this unfolds. I rate this a high 5 out of 5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, Knopf, Pantheon, and the Vintage catalog for providing me with this digital advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review!

Firstly, I must admit: Erin A. Craig is one of my auto-read fantasy authors, and I’ll devour anything she writes without even glancing at the blurb. She never fails to amaze me, and I know she’s incapable of writing anything disappointing.

This time, the story follows young Greer MacKenzie, who lives in the small village of Mistaken, protected by Warding Stones and the power of Benevolence. The townspeople offer their blessings in return, believing Benevolence shields them from the Bright-Eyeds—vicious monsters that have claimed lives before. Thankfully, the stones mark the village’s borders, keeping the wild forest and its lurking dangers—Bright-Eyeds, beasts, and other horrors—at bay. Crossing that boundary is forbidden; those who have dared in the past never returned.

Since childhood, Greer has possessed an unusual gift—she can hear people's thoughts, just as her late mother could. She longs to map the borders, explore beyond them, and uncover the unknown, but she remains trapped in Mistaken. Her only solace is her childhood love, Ellis Beaufort, and their shared dream of a happily ever after. Their plan is set: during the village's traditional hunt—a ritual where marriage-age women hide, waiting to be found by their future husbands—Ellis will seek her out. However, her father has other plans, pressuring her to marry Lachlan, a man with ties to her family's fortune.

But on the day of the hunt, everything goes wrong. Instead of finding Greer, Ellis crosses the border—without being repelled by the stones—disappearing into the wilderness. Greer knows this isn’t an accident; it’s a trap, likely orchestrated by her father. Determined to save Ellis, she risks everything, venturing into the forest to bring him back. Yet, as she delves deeper, uncovering the dark secrets of her town and her own past, she realizes the truth may be far more terrifying than she ever imagined. Will she complete her impossible mission, or will she be forced to embrace a destiny that was set for her long before she was born?

Now, I have to say—A Land So Wide is undeniably a compelling read. I adored the first half far more than the second, and while Greer’s love triangle (Even though Greer wasn’t thinking clearly and was lured into something she wouldn’t have done in her right mind.) rattled me, the overall story kept me engaged. The book bombards readers with revelations—some predictable, others utterly jaw-dropping. The world-building is intricate, blending magic, history, and an eerie, claustrophobic wilderness that pulls you in. However, while the pacing kept me turning pages, the sheer volume of twists felt overwhelming at times, and the rushed ending left me slightly unsatisfied.

That said, I’m rounding up my 3.5 stars to 4 because, despite its flaws, this was still an enchanting, well-crafted fantasy. And let’s be honest—no one could make me rate an Erin A. Craig book below four stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for providing a digital review copy of this unputdownable fantasy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

There are many wonderful things to say about this book. For one, it has a wonderful atmosphere. It is whimsical and enchanting in a dark and twisted way. Get as a character is easy to relate to, as she is seemingly stuck in a town full of secrets and rituals. However, there were a few things that were less enjoyable about the story, for one, some of the relationships felt a bit strange, especially towards the end of the story. The twist was good, and the pacing was also fairly decent to keep one engaged throughout the whole story.

I devoured this book. Everytime I thought something was going to happen the Author took us in a different direction. Beautifully written and amazing story! Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc.

This is gorgeously written, from the atmosphere to the tug of magic and darkness within the world itself. The best way to describe it is haunting, and it is used to the absolute best of its abilities.

The scream that came out of my mouth when I found out I received a digital arc of this book rivals Greer’s.

Honestly though, I’m so grateful to have been able to read this lovely book early. I’ll read anything Erin Craig puts out. I’m a little sad that I won’t have a new book from her in September but it was definitely worth it.

Erin Craig is unmatched in her atmospheric writing. She immerses you in her stories and makes you feel like you’re in the worlds she creates without it being too lyrical or description heavy. I’ve never read another author that does it as well as she does.

A Land so Wide has the perfect amount of creepy/gothic vibes and I am so here for it. I couldn’t put it down and when I had to, I found myself trying to squeeze in times to pick it up again. There were multiple moments where I audibly gasped and had to cover the bottom of the page to not spoil anything for myself.

Reading A Land so Wide was definitely the highlight of my week.

Anyways, highly recommend!!

Side note: Mistaken reminded me so much of Amity Falls and now I want to do another re-read of Small Favors 😫

When I saw that I got approved for this arc I started screaming, crying, throwing up! Then I started reading it and continued to scream, cry, and throw up because it was that good! I was actually giddy reading even just the PROLOGUE because that’s how good it was. The setting, the writing, it’s just so VISUAL; it’s hard not to feel nervous as the terrified voyagers navigate through this uncanny land that they are fearful of without quite knowing why, as bloodcurdling cries are heard in the distance. IT’S SO EERIE. IT’S SO FOREBODING. IT’S SO ERIN’S STYLE. I was kicking my feet and squealing at how deliciously dark it was. I love scary shit like this in books ok. Sue me.

The town of Mistaken is the perfect example of the price you pay for greed and the lure of wealth against your best judgement. You learn that veryyyy quickly from the prologue. Mistaken feels claustrophobic and lonely in a similar way as the setting of the village in her creepy Rumplestilskin retelling. I was actually surprised to see in the book’s blurb that this book technically takes place in Canada, because it very much doesn’t feel like it takes place in the real world. But have no fear about that making this book feel any different because it has the same otherworldly feel as her fantasy books do. If the blurb hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have even assumed this took place in the real world.

Erin is nothing if not consistent. Her books are just consistently good and this one is no different. Therefore, if you’ve enjoyed any of her previous books, you’ll like this one too. Her tone is so distinct; I could read 5 pages and pinpoint the fact that it’s her writing because her writing style and tone are so distinct. She’s got such a unique style, where it’s unsettling without being categorized as full on horror. I love that whenever you pick up an Erin Craig book, you always know what kind of vibe and aesthetic to expect because she has such a distinct style and she knows what her audience likes and expects. Even if she veers into something less creepy like in her last release, every books she releases feels distinctly her. (And yes I am STILL emotionally fragile over The Thirteenth Child and no I am not over it or emotionally healed from it!)

Was this as scary as the Sisters Of the Salt books? No, but those books are terrifying as fuck for what isn’t technically considered a horror novel, and that’s hard to top. Nor do I expect it to. I wouldn’t even say it was scary as Small Favors was. But Erin’s writing and world building are SO GOOD, that even as a girl who emphasizes scares when I pick up a book intended to be creepy, I actually didn’t mind it or like it any less because I found it less scary than some of her previous books. Despite taking place in the real world over fantasy and not being as scary as the previous installments, there is still all the gothic creepiness you love and expect in an Erin Craig novel. I will say it does lose some steam after the halfway mark but all in all, Erin never writes a bad book; she’s not capable of it. This has all the elements and dark aesthetics that you’d expect from her writing. Now, I’m ready for Sisters of the Salt book 3!

Thank you to Netgalley and Pantheon for sending me an advanced copy in return for my honest review.

🦇 This story was not what I was expecting at all, but it was everything I wanted and needed. It was folklore combined with romance and horror, with poetic writing woven throughout the book. I wanted to read it every chance I could, and when responsibilities kept me from reading, this novel was all I could think about.

🦇 Erin A. Craig has a beautiful way of creating a fictional world that reels you in. Every time I thought I knew what direction the story would go, I'd soon find out I was completely mistaken. I never wanted the story to end...

🦇 The only reason I couldn't give it 5 stars, was because I felt like the last part of the story felt slightly disconnected from the rest, and I wish the romance aspect had gone slightly differently in my opinion. Otherwise, I truly loved this book so much and can't wait to read more by this author! Also, thank you Erin for giving me a new book boyfriend. I absolutely adore Noah Finn. 🤍

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 stars
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✨If you love these tropes, give this book a try:✨

🦇Plot Twists
🦇Love Triangle
🦇Childhood Friends To Lovers
🦇Magic
🦇Quests
🦇Monsters/Mythical Creatures
🦇Forced Proximity
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🦇 A million thanks to netgalley and Pantheon for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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TW: Please be sure to check for trigger warnings. Some triggers include gore, dismemberment, violence, physical assault, etc.