I saw a book cover that looks creepy and immediately clicked request on netgalley. I got it and jumped in.

Weird cover and gothic folk horror I didn't know i needed in my life. I knew this book would be a jam. This was a book was nightmare fueled everything. The people and what they did to "sinners", the town and the traditions, the monsters in the woods and the ocean. This was dark and creepy in all the right places. This follows Hyacinth who was told her whole like to be silent and obedient and she is anything but that and I devoured this.

The way I devoured this book. What an interesting and eerie concept. I loved the story and the characters. It was very well written, keeping me absorbed and the pacing was perfect. The ending was also completely perfect and I must have read it several times. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who just wants a good book.

Thank you Quill & Crow Publishing House for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own

As someone who loves horror novellas, this was a hit. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys What Moves the Dead by T Kingfisher, Thrum by Meg Smotherman, or Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White.

Hyacinth is a young woman who has just reached the age of marriage. After being exposed to the horrifying possibilities other than marriage, she resigns herself to a fate she does not want. While the concept of the Teeth and the Deep were very vague, I believe Russell kept it mysterious but cultivated an aesthetic and mood that explained it better than perhaps an outright explanation could have.

I felt deeply for Hyacinth, and I came to care about other characters as well, though most were highly unlikeable. She is stuck in a place she can never belong and even when trying to be “good,” it’s never enough. Russell’s descriptions of how Hyacinth felt inwardly were very relatable as someone who grew up religious and never felt that it was worth believing in. I always felt sinful and wrong, too sharp and hard to like.

I think my only issue was the passage of time. I know certain places it was meant to be ambiguous and floaty, but many times I was left wondering how long Hyacinth has known what she does and how long she has had in the places she is.

Content warnings for gore, child abuse, child neglect, blood, bodily mutilation, death of human and animal.

Creepy and atmospheric with some major cult/witch trial vibes! I loved the strength and resiliency of the main character and the folklore-feel of the story.

I have been needing a creepy book for ages and I am so glad to have finally found a book to have scratched that itch!

This book gave me massive The Witch and The Village vibes, but darker and more intense. I loved the tension of never feeling the safety of the characters, between the Teeth and the Deep, it felt like danger lurked all around!

I loved Hyacinths character, and how she was looked at for being a strong outspoken gal! I love a good book with a witchy feel, Which this brought to the table and I love the fact that the creepy cult /religion feared witches so much but they’re very prayers and carving of bones gave me the biggest of witch feels.

How do you know when it’s a creepiest enough read? When you explain the plot to your colleagues and they just ask “are you okay?”

This book was deliciously dark and culty.

“Are we truly little more than delectable flesh to ancient beings with insatiable appetites?”

From the minute I saw this cover I knew I had to apply for it. After getting back-to-back rejections on NetGalley, this popped up on my shelf, and I was so happy because I actually really wanted this one. Strangely enough, this dark and eerie book was a little light in the darkness of my NetGalley curse. So thank you to the publishers and author for letting me read this early (even though I think it's available now?).

Anyways, let's get down to business. *cracks knuckles* Hyacinth is our fierce FMC, and although she was constantly referred to as a witch for her vile thoughts, she always managed to escape death. (Or did she?) Her world is terrifying and brutal. (The forest eats people, okay?) L.V. Russel used such descriptive writing that I felt real fear for those damn Teeth, even though I don't know that I completely understand what they are??

The forest surrounding the village is filled with the worst horrors imaginable and they demand blood sacrifice, whether animal or human, and if it does not receive enough then it will find a way to sate it's thirst. (In case you didn't hear me earlier, the forest eats people.)

Even though this book is less than 250 pages, it definitely packs a punch. And don't worry, if you just recently got some botox that might be little too strong, the ending of this book will have your eybrows moving freely in no time. This book is filled with gothic vibes, darkness, and fear as Hyacinth faces her new life with an unwanted husband where horror is constantly lurking close by.

Overall I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend to friends!

(3.5/5 stars)
The Bone Drenched Woods is rich with atmosphere and packed with nightmarish imagery, but for me, it landed somewhere between compelling and just okay.

There’s a lot to admire here: the eerie folklore, the haunting sea-side setting, and a protagonist who refuses to be silenced in a world built on fear and obedience. The Teeth, the sermons, the offerings of bone—it all oozes dread in a way that’s both creative and deeply unsettling. And I did enjoy Hyacinth’s fire; her defiance in the face of violence and dogma was one of the strongest threads running through the story.

That said, I found myself distanced at times. The prose, while beautifully written, occasionally felt overwrought and made it hard to connect emotionally with the characters or the stakes. Some pacing issues also crept in—there’s a lingering, dreamlike quality to the storytelling that suits the tone, but slowed down the momentum for me.

Ultimately, it was good, just not entirely my thing. Fans of dark, witchy folklore and gothic horror with feminist undertones will likely fall hard for this one—but I left feeling more chilled than truly moved.

A deep, dark, pulsating read with up and downs that sometimes feel like they bring you right back where you started. This book was a slow one to get through for sure, but that's only owing to my own time-constraints in trying to read. This is a book where you must sit down and sink in and read big chunks at a time in order to really immerse yourself in the book. It's easily likened to the atmosphere of Antichrist, The VVitch, and in book form more Grimm Fairytails.

Looking for a creepy cult like village setting for your next folk horror read? Look no further. This was creepy and dark and kept me turning pages until the end.

Hyacinth, you are an IT girl to me.

This was eerie, unnerving, and SO good. I was hooked from the first page. There’s nothing I love more than stories about creepy cult-like villages and strange entities in the woods, it gave The Witch vibes (which is one of my favorite movies), but with its own beautifully haunting way. The writing is so poetic and atmospheric, I felt like I was right there with Hyacinth the entire time. I wish it had been a little longer just so I could get even more into the strangeness of this world but I really loved this from start to finish.

I haven’t read much folk horror before, but it’s very much my thing now and I will 100% be tuning into this author’s work in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This story certainly gave off “The Watchers” by A.M. Shine and “The Forest of Hands and Teeth” by Carrie Ryan vibes!

Follow Hyacinth as she traverses The Teeth to start a new home on the edge of The Deep, bride to a terrible man. There are ancient beasts surrounding the town and they are hungry and angry. Women are always blamed for the problems of men, and Hyacinth has drawn the ire of the Elders. Will she burn? Be lowered into the cold waters on a hook? Will her bones be carved to ward the paths? Or can she finally find a way to be free…

“Flowers and bone, girl and woman, maiden and mother.”

“The Bone Drenched Woods” was a dark, horrifying and hopeless story. Following a main character who is bound by rituals and tradition, hemmed in by monsters human and eldritch. From trees to the deep waters, it was a fascinating world the author created. More backstory/history would only enhance the tale, as I was left curious about many things, like how the towns communicated between themselves.

“Carve the bones. One for the gate, one for the door, two for the mantel, and three for the floor.”

I really loved the creepy factor and darkness of the overall plot. Each scene had me captivated, from the intense moments when the creatures are near as well as the day-to-day activities of the townspeople.
The ending felt a bit rushed, I was hoping for more based on how the rest of the book took its time with each transition.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Quill & Crow Publishing House for a copy!

Thank you NetGalley, LV Russell and Quill & Crow Publishing.
The vibes of this book are amazing. Great atmosphere.
Gothic folk fantasy horror- a genre niche I can definitely get behind.

Our main character Hyacinth is flawed and not perfect and I adore her.

I was confused at times, and there is some pacing issues but for the most part I had a really good time.

The atmosphere was 5 stars.

This book doesn’t coddle—it confronts. The Bone Drenched Woods grabs you with moss-stained hands and pulls you into a myth-soaked fever dream where rage is sacred, the forest breathes, and women aren’t victims—they’re vengeance.

It doesn’t whisper revenge. It howls.

This is no tale of survival. It’s a reckoning. A lone, fierce woman stands against a god-fearing village that should’ve feared her instead. Gritty, eerie, and unflinchingly bold, this story burns with righteous defiance.

Read it if you like your feminism wild, your folklore haunted, and your fire slow and smoldering.

3.5 rounded 4

I've seen this book floating around several shelves on Goodreads, so I was quite happy to be able to request an ARC and read it.

The Bone Drenched Woods reads like a horror tale, and there is no fairy tale, but Teeth and Deep. Hyacinth - the FMC - is unapologetic and does what she wants. She might do it scared, but she does it anyway.

It took me a few pages to understand 'the concept' of what was happening in the book. It has witch trials, cult, and overly zealous vibes. It works. At times, the hunger from the Teeth and Deep might not be justified or really understood (or maybe it's just me). I was surprised by the end, but I liked it. I did not see it coming, not this way.

Make sure you know what you get into before picking it up. It has blood, bones (duh!), gore, decay...

Thank you to NetGalley, Quill & Crow Publishing House and L.V Russel for the opportunity to read this book. This review is my own and I'm leaving it voluntarily.

3.5

this is a gothic folk horror. very creepy and unsettling. it gave cult/witch trial vibes with this settlement’s leadership (the “elders”) and sacrifices

the atmosphere and descriptions in this were amazing. i could literally feel the dirt and grit and saltwater and blood as it was being described… disgusting. & the body horror was creepy and effective

there were parts of this that were slightly confusing but i find that common with most folk/forest horror

this was a fast and intriguing read and i found myself looking forward to picking it up and getting back into the story

honestly my only complaint is that this might have had a little too much romance for my liking. it wasn’t bad but i feel like it was not necessarily needed to the extent that was in the end of this

but overall i really enjoyed this and would recommend to people who like creepy ominous horror with a strong-willed female protagonist

"Do not be foolish, Hyacinth.” Don’t be foolish, or wicked, or loud. Don’t be brazen, wild, hopeful, hungry. Be pretty, be quiet, be good. Obedient.

A BIG BIG thank you to Quill & Crow Publishing House for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Where do I even start??
I randomly requested this book on Netgalley because the premise sounded interesting, and I liked the cover and what do you know? I've started reading it, and I was instantly HOOKED. This book is seriously underrated, and I can't wait to read more from this author. Easily one of my favourite books now.

The writing was beautifully descriptive, immediately immersing me into the story. I fell in love with the world building, the folklore, and the dark atmosphere the story takes on right from the very beginning. Trust me when I say this story will have you hooked from the first page.

The book is about a cultist like village where a great terror lurks in the woods. Heathens hang and witches burn, of which our main character is neither, but she is defiant, and that is enough to look suspicious to others.

If sacrifices, female rage, wicked girls, and Eldritch horrors are your jam or you loved the movie "The Witch," then you'll love this book.

I'm giving it 4.5 stars in total. Would have been a 5 star read, but I got a little lost towards the ending, and I think this could have been improved if the book was a little longer.

The Bone Drenched Woods by L. V. Russell is a dark and gothic tale with a fierce heroine who reminds me of Addie LaRue. This world is rich in mystery and folklore with morals and that traditions that you are both unique and horrific. If you are looking for a mostly world/plot driven tale, then this book is for you!

I absolutely loved the vibes of this, it was so creepy and felt so immersive. I absolutely loved Hyacinth as well. I just think my issue with this was that it felt both too short and too long at the same time, and I struggled to get on with the pacing here. I’d love to read more from this author in the future, this particular book just wasn’t really for me.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc. 🫶🏻

Now this is gothic horror! What an absolute MARVEL of a fairy tale. In the tradition of the grim brothers, Russell delivers a creeping forest tale of intimate scares and unmerciful community. This will appeal to the readers of woodland horror, religious fervor, and the dark, deep witchcraft.

There’s something ancient—and angry—waiting in The Bone-Drenched Woods, and I was fully under its spell.

The Bone-Drenched Woods explores the horror in the woods and beyond. It’s a story about what lurks in the dark, but also about the quieter horrors of being trapped in a life shaped by others’ choices. If you’re into folk horror, feminine rage, and dark fairytales, this one’s for you.


Thank you to NetGalley and Quill & Crow Publishing House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 3.75 stars